Daniel Dubois will soon look to bounce back from his second defeat to Oleksandr Usyk, returning to the ring this year with a new training team and his sights set on becoming a two-time world heavyweight champion.
The big-punching Brit was knocked out by Usyk at Wembley Stadium in July, 2025, surrendering the IBF belt he picked up when the Ukrainian vacated it the year before. The loss ended a stellar run of form for Dubois, who had stopped Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua in his last three.
Having now recovered from a minor injury, Dubois will be keen to take advantage of the ever-changing heavyweight landscape and navigate himself to the very top once more.
Speaking to IFL TV, ‘DDD’s manager, Sam Jones, said that his charge will return within the first five months of the year.
“April, latest May.”
Jones then named WBO World Champion Fabio Wardley as the ideal opponent.
“Fabio Wardley is the champion, so it would be a voluntary defence. But outside of AJ, Tyson Fury, Usyk – Dubois is the biggest name for Fabio Wardley to fight, which would therefore generate the most money.
“If Fabio Wardley gets the Usyk fight then all credit to him, he deserves that opportunity. But … if he wants to make that fight, we can make it very, very quickly.”
With Usyk set on defending his three belts against Deontay Wilder next, and talks seemingly progressing well, Wardley will be defending rather than unifying with the Ukrainian.
Dubois — who is ranked at number four with the sanctioning body — presents an intriguing match-up for fans and a suitably dangerous first outing as champion for the Ipswich man, who has made it his business to put on entertaining fights each and every time he steps through the ropes.
With both men under Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions banner, and the fight an all-British affair which wouldn’t struggle to sell, few obstacles stand in the way. Wardley’s team, however, may look for a slightly less dangerous opponent for a voluntary first defence.
