Prior to the Queensberry-Matchroom 5 vs 5 card last Saturday, Saudi boxing chief HE Turki Alalshikh hinted that Anthony Joshua’s next opponent could emerge from the event. While Deontay Wilder seemed to be the ideal contender initially, his surprising defeat by Zhilei Zhang altered the landscape.

With Wilder out of the equation, the spotlight turned to the winner of the other heavyweight bout on the card. Daniel Dubois seized the opportunity, overcoming a relentless assault to stop Filip Hrgovic due to cuts and secure the IBF ‘interim’ belt. This victory positioned him as a strong candidate for a showdown with Joshua, especially as the IBF may consider upgrading his status to the full heavyweight world title, pending a ruling on Oleksandr Usyk’s request for an exception.

Frank Warren, Dubois’ promoter, expressed optimism about negotiations for the Joshua-Dubois clash, revealing discussions were underway. Warren highlighted Dubois’ resilience and redemption after past setbacks, emphasizing his newfound determination and success in battles against formidable opponents like Kevin Lerena, Jarrell Miller, and Hrgovic.

As talks progress, there’s growing anticipation for a potential autumn showdown between Joshua and Dubois, with Warren expressing a preference for the bout to take place in the UK, possibly at Wembley Stadium. With both fighters eager to prove themselves on the global stage, the prospect of this highly anticipated matchup promises to captivate boxing enthusiasts worldwide.