Daniel Dubois could return as early as January, defending his WBO title against a former world champion who believes they have unfinished business to address.
The 29-year-old became a two-time world heavyweight champion in May, surviving two early knockdowns before dethroning Fabio Wardley with an 11th-round stoppage.
Things were then far more straightforward in their immediate rematch, as Dubois floored his man in the first 17 seconds and secured a second-round finish earlier this month.
In the ring afterwards, ‘Dynamite’ expressed his desire for a unification match with Filip Hrgovic, who claimed his IBF title with a stunning ninth-round stoppage of Moses Itauma in August.
With the Croatian set to face mandatory challenger Frank Sanchez in the new year, however, their rematch is unlikely to take place anytime soon.
More likely, it seems, is a WBO title defence against Joseph Parker, who was supposed to face Dubois for the IBF strap in February 2025.
That was until Dubois pulled out due to a fight week illness, only to lose his belt via a fifth-round stoppage defeat to Oleksandr Usyk the following July.
According to Ring Magazine, though, the Parker showdown is now being revisited as an option for January 30, either at London’s O2 Arena or Manchester’s Co-op Live.
The New Zealander has not fought since his 11th-round stoppage defeat to Wardley in October 2025, after which he tested positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, and received a provisional ban from UK Anti-Doping.
That suspension was then lifted this past August, with the 34-year-old claiming his positive UKAD test was caused by exposure to the cocaine used by his then-nutritionist.
