Promoter Frank Warren was once again a guest on Talk Sport, and today, the Queensbury boss teased us all with what he says will be a “great fight for Daniel.” As in Daniel Dubois, who is set to follow up on his September crushing of Anthony Joshua with a fight in February.
And Warren said today that though a deal is close he cannot officially announce anything until both men have signed the fight contract. But Warren did say that Dubois will be in with a formidable challenger, in a fight that will be a “very big one for him.”
“We are working on a deal and getting it over the line. We are close, and I’m sure we will do that,” Warren said. “But until the contracts are signed, we can’t say anything. Daniel’s next fight will be a very big one for him. He’s now captured everyone’s imagination, and everyone wants to see him fight again. Daniel’s next opponent will be against someone of a Joseph Parker standing. It will be someone coming in as a winning fighter at Daniel’s level and form. It will be a great fight for Daniel. Joe Parker’s name is on the list, and that is the level of form and quality we are looking at.”
So, who could it be in the opposite corner in February? Could it actually be former WBO heavyweight champ Parker, with Warren simply unable to confirm until all the paperwork is done? Other names that have been mentioned include Fabio Wardley (Warren has said it won’t be Fabio next, but this one could be a big, big fight down the road) and Martin Bakole (Warren said here that if Bakole gets past Agit Kabayel, who Bakole has been ordered to fight by the IBF, he will be “in the mix” for later on).
So, this leaves us wondering just who it could be in February. Have YOU any thoughts? One man it will not be is AJ, who is now expected to return to action in the summer.
Warren warned that Joshua faces a long road back to title contention.
“People forget Daniel’s fight with AJ was his mandatory fight to defend his belt. Having done that and won, he is now allowed up until April to fight who he wants,” Warren said. “So we can take who we want in a February fight. The IBF is quite strict on mandatory challengers, and now there will be other names ahead of Joshua at the top of their list. So AJ is out of the picture as a mandatory challenger. He will be out of the picture for a long while.”
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