Oleksandr Usyk, the reigning undisputed heavyweight champion, has vacated his IBF title, setting the stage for a highly anticipated showdown between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium on September 21, 2024. This move means that Usyk’s reign as the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999 has been short-lived, as he was contractually obliged to face Tyson Fury in a rematch later this year rather than fulfilling his duties against a mandatory challenger.
Dubois became the interim IBF champion after stopping former No1 contender Filip Hrgović during the recent Matchroom vs Queensberry 5v5 card in Riyadh. It has been suggested that Dubois could be upgraded to full champion and defend against Joshua, rather than the two competing for the vacant belt.
Joshua, a former IBF, WBA (Super), WBO and IBO heavyweight champion, is looking to become a three-time world heavyweight champion. He won the IBF title by defeating Charles Martin in 2016 and later added the other belts, which he regained with a rematch win over Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019. However, he lost his titles to Usyk in 2021 and has since worked his way back into contention with four successive comeback wins.
Dubois, a former WBA ‘regular’ heavyweight champion, fought Usyk for four belts last summer in Poland after becoming mandatory for his ‘super’ WBA title, but was stopped in the ninth round after an earlier low-blow controversy.
The upcoming Joshua-Dubois showdown at Wembley Stadium promises to be a thrilling event, with both fighters looking to make their mark in the heavyweight division.
‼️ Oleksandr Usyk announcing that he is vacating his IBF heavyweight world title so his former opponents Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois can fight for it on Sept 21st at Wembley…
[🎥 @Usykaa]https://t.co/SR2uLiAP3z
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