Joseph Parker is the current frontrunner to challenge Daniel Dubois for the IBF heavyweight title on February 22 next year following confirmation that Anthony Joshua will not pursue an immediate rematch with the IBF heavyweight champion, BoxingScene understands.
The New Zealander, currently not ranked by the IBF due to holding an interim strap with the WBO, put his name forward as speculation started to mount last week that Joshua had ruled himself out of a revenge mission following his September loss to Dubois.
Those close to the negotiations, who are keen to make the best possible fight for 27-year-old Dubois against the most formidable opponent on the Riyadh Season/Queensberry Promotions event, do not foresee Parker being unranked by the IBF as a problem.
“What you have seen with the matchmaking at Riyadh Season is it will be one of the best, if not the best, available candidate,” a source told BoxingScene. “Parker isn’t rated because he has another title [with the WBO] but, ultimately, if you made the fight, they would take that into consideration. You can easily make the application and justification that he deserves to be rated.”
Parker’s renaissance over the last 12 months has been just as impressive as Dubois’, as he scored upset victories over both Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang. Both the TBRB and The Ring currently rank Parker, 35-3 (23 KOs), one place below Dubois, 22-2 (21 KOs), as the fourth best heavyweight in the world. Following the points victory over Zhang in March, Frank Warren confirmed that the heavyweight was “contracted” to Queensberry Promotions, making Dubois and Parker promotional stablemates.
“Dubois looked great versus Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua,” Parker said. “But there’s a difference. I’m fresh, I’m hungry, and ready to go. I’ve been waiting since March for a big fight, let’s get it on now.”
Zhang, one place below Parker in both sets of independent rankings, is also under consideration to challenge Dubois. Zhang, 27-2-1 (22 KOs), is rated No. 5 by the IBF – directly behind Agit Kabayel and Martin Bakole, who have been ordered to clash in a final eliminator.
Another fighter reported as being in the running, British champion Fabio Wardley, has since been ruled out, however. “Fabio asked for it,” Queensberry chief Warren said at the weekend, “but I think it’s too early and I think it’s a fight that we can build up and if we can do it [in the future], it could be a massive stadium fight.”
Wardley scored a brutal first round knockout of Frazer Clarke on October 12, two weeks after Dubois had dramatically halted Joshua in four. Joshua had initially voiced his desire for a rematch which though not contractually obliged was deemed agreeable by Team Dubois. However, it has been confirmed that Joshua will not be seeking the immediate return because the February date will come too soon.
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