Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois: Joseph Parker in line to face winner for all four heavyweight belts, says Frank Warren
Winner stays on? Frank Warren says Joseph Parker and Derek Chisora can fight for world titles after the undisputed showdown between Daniel Dubois and Oleksandr Usyk; Usyk is seeking to become a three-time undisputed champion across two weight classes at Wembley on July 19
Monday 28 April 2025 22:25, UK
Joseph Parker missed out on the chance to fight Daniel Dubois for the IBF world heavyweight title but may now find himself in an even stronger position, says Frank Warren.
Dubois had been due to defend his belt against Parker on what was billed as the greatest card in boxing history in February, only to withdraw from the bout on the Thursday of fight week after falling ill.
Parker subsequently stopped late replacement Martin Bakole in the second round to keep his world title aspirations alive, and is the current WBO interim world champion.
It was announced on Monday that Dubois will fight WBO, WBC and WBA unified world champion Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship at Wembley Stadium on July 19. Beyond that, Parker awaits.
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"With Joe Parker, the WBO just put a mandate out saying that the winner of this fight has to defend against the WBO mandatory challenger, which is Joe Parker, which is a great fight by the way," Warren told Sky Sports.
"People might be saying 'oh Joe must be peed off he's not fighting Daniel' - well, he'll be fighting for four belts now.
"Whoever wins it, which I hope is going to be our man (Dubois), they'll be challenging for four belts, so he's in a better place."
Parker is among the most in-form heavyweight fighters in the world as he rides the momentum of a six-fight win streak, including statement victories over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang since his loss to Joe Joyce in 2022.
Meanwhile, Derek Chisora has emerged as a surprise name on the world title-challenging radar having become the top ranked contender to Dubois' IBF belt.
The 41-year-old is coming off unanimous decision victories over Joyce and Otto Wallin amid the latter stages of his career, and could yet see his 50th professional bout become a title shot.
"Derek has been told and he's in a position where it's been ordered again, after the sequence of the governing bodies, he's the next one in after that, so they're all in good positions," Warren continued.
"How exciting is it these fights are happening? They're not having little fights in between, little knockovers.
"They're fighting the best of the best in the heavyweight division and the two best active heavyweights in the world are in the ring on the July 19 at Wembley.
"The two best in the blue ribbon division - be there, do not miss it, because it's going to be something extra, extra and one more extra!"
Warren: Usyk is something special
Before then, Dubois has payback on his mind as he seeks to avenge what he still deems an injustice following the opinion-splitting 'low blow' during his defeat to Usyk in August 2023.
Dubois, who was knocked out by Usyk in the ninth round, shoved his two-time undisputed champion rival as the pair squared off on the Wembley Stadium turf on Monday morning.
"It's not like him but the last few fights he's been quite aggressive to his opponents prior to the fight, and I'm not going to criticise him in any way because it's worked," said Warren.
"Having said that, Usyk is something special. He's a special, special fighter, a special boxer, athlete, Olympic gold medallist, a world champion at two weights. He's unbelievable and he's beaten every British fighter that he's got in with."
Dubois enters his rematch with Usyk bearing a fresh and fortified self-belief having responded to his loss to the Ukrainian great with career-igniting stoppage victories over Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua.
The latter arrived in devastating fashion as Dubois and his dynamite fists blunted Joshua's bid to become a three-time world champion in front of a sold-out Wembley last September. Now, he believes he can chop down a tree no other man has been able to.
"The physicality has always been there," said Warren. "You can always work on that, especially when you're a young fighter, but he's there.
"He's a big puncher. He's powerful in both hands. He's got hand speed. He's got a great jab, but mentally he's grown up. He's matured a lot in the last two years. There's more confidence about him.
"He hated - he still does - but he doesn't like doing interviews. But now he's in there doing it and he holds his own. Whereas somebody would say something to him and he'd sort of mumble, wait until the night and do what he's got to do in the ring.
"Now he comes back at you and he's in a good place. I like where he's at because he's got so much self-belief, and he really does feel that he's going to win this fight."
