Daniel Dubois is targeting Oleksandr Usyk's IBF title after accepting a final eliminator against Frank Sanchez
Daniel Dubois has stepped in to face Frank Sanchez in IBF final eliminator, with the winner becoming mandatory challenger for Oleksandr Usyk; Dubois was stopped by Usyk in Wembley rematch this summer; Efe Ajagba, Moses Itauma and Richard Torrez Jr turned down eliminator bouts with Sanchez
Tuesday 7 October 2025 17:45, UK
Daniel Dubois is targeting Oleksandr Usyk's IBF heavyweight title after accepting a final eliminator fight against Frank Sanchez.
Dubois has agreed to negotiate a fight against Sanchez, with the winner becoming mandatory challenger for Usyk, the IBF, WBC, WBO and WBA champion, after a string of potential challengers turned down the IBF bout against the Cuban.
Efe Ajagba, who was floored by Sanchez in a points loss, rejected a rematch in the form of a final eliminator, while Britain's red-hot contender Moses Itauma is considering different opponents, and Richard Torrez Jnr had been next in line to be offered an IBF fight against Sanchez.
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But Dubois, ranked at No 7 by the IBF, has seized the opportunity to potentially enforce a trilogy fight against Usyk after losing the IBF belt in a fifth-round stoppage loss to the Ukrainian in their rematch at Wembley in July.
The Londoner must overcome Sanchez, who is guided by Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez's trainer Eddy Reynoso, and has racked up 25 victories with just a solitary loss to Agit Kabayel while hampered by a knee injury.
Negotiations will now take place between Dubois and Sanchez to agree terms for a deal by October 22. If both fighters cannot reach an agreement, then a purse bid will be ordered by the IBF.
Dubois was installed as the IBF champion after Usyk vacated the title in June last year and he made an emphatic defence against Anthony Joshua, dramatically stopping his British rival in the fifth round at Wembley last September.
Usyk has confirmed he is entering the final stage of his career and has already been issued with a mandatory title fight commitment as the winner of Joseph Parker vs Fabio Wardley on October 25 will earn a shot at the WBO belt.
A recent statement released by Sergey Lapin, the CEO of Ready to Fight, Usyk's promotional company, suggested that the 38-year-old is 'considering new opportunities.'
It read: "Oleksandr has earned the time to recover. And after that, fans will see him back in the ring - ready for new great fights.
"Right now, our team is considering new opportunities and an exciting location to stage another fight for the undisputed world championship.
"In the meantime, we wish good luck to Joseph Parker and Fabio Wardley - may the best man win."
