By Brian Webber: The WBA has ordered their ‘Super’ heavyweight champion Oleksander Usyk to face ‘regular’ champ Daniel Dubois to reduce the number of titles.
This move could potentially get in the same of the undisputed heavyweight undisputed clash between IBF, WBA & WBO champion Usyk (20-0, 13 KOs), and WBC champ Tyson Fury.
However, with Dubois and Fury sharing the same promoters at Queensbury Promotion, it’ll be a simple matter of them arranging for Daniel to step aside so that Tyson can face Usyk for the undisputed.
Dubois would then face the winner of the Fury vs. Usyk fight, as long as the IBF doesn’t get in the way of that fight.
The International Boxing Federation has already ordered Usyk to defend against their IBF mandatory Filip Hrgovic next. Hrgovic’s promoter Eddie Hearn has repeatedly said that Usyk must defend against him next, but it’s possible the IBF will allow the Fury vs. Usyk fight to go ahead.
Once that fight is over, the IBF will likely insist that Hrgovic get his shot, which means Dubois will need to wait his turn.
The World Boxing Association (WBA) Championships Committee ordered the Heavyweight world title fight between Super Champion Oleksandr Usyk and Champion Daniel Dubois #UsykDubois
— WBA Boxing (@WBABoxing) December 13, 2022
Dubois was almost knocked out by little-known former cruiserweight Kevin Lerena on December 3rd in their co-feature bout at Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium in London.
The 25-year-old Dubois was knocked down three times by the South African southpaw Lerena in the first round.
Some boxing fans believe that the round ended 10 seconds early, which may have saved Dubois from getting knocked out because he was seemingly going down with every punch that Lerena landed after the first knockdown.
Queensbury is interested in having Fury face Usyk and Joe Joyce in 2023. If Fury fights Usyk, Dubois, and Joyce in 2023, he will be dealing with a lot next year.
Fury had talked recently about wanting to fight ten times in 2023, and he was joking. But as long as he’s eager to be busy next year, fighting Usyk, Dubois, and Joyce in succession would be an excellent way for the 6’9″ heavyweight to make up for the lost time.
Fury has missed out on many fights due to his problems outside of the ring following his victory over Wladimir Klitschko in 2015. At 34, Fury doesn’t have much more time before he ages out and is no longer the fighter he is today.