After Dubois’ dominant win, what’s next for heavyweight boxing?
Daniel Dubois stopped Fabio Wardley in two rounds at London’s O2 Arena, retaining his title and strengthening his standing among the heavyweight division’s leading fighters. The decisive win moves attention to potential unification bouts, while the division is also being reshaped by Oleksandr Usyk’s expected retirement and the long-awaited Tyson Fury–Anthony Joshua fight.
IBF champion Filip Hrgovic wants a rematch with Dubois, but a mandatory defence against Frank Sanchez could delay it. Fury and Joshua are due to meet in Cardiff in December; about 80,000 tickets reportedly sold within an hour, and the vacant WBA ‘super’ title may be at stake. WBC champion Agit Kabayel could also be a future unification opponent, while Usyk has suggested he wants one last fight before retiring.
- Dubois stopped Wardley in two rounds and retained his title.
- Hrgovic wants a rematch, but a mandatory defence may come first.
- Fury and Joshua’s December bout could shape future unification fights.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Dubois’s emphatic win makes a unification bout the strongest sporting priority: matching champions would clarify who leads the division and give fans the high-stakes fights they have been waiting for. If the Fury–Joshua bout proceeds as planned, it could draw exceptional attention and add further urgency to resolving the titles.
The case against
The division may be better served by honouring mandatory defences and building credible contenders before arranging another headline unification. Hrgovic’s rematch claim and Sanchez’s mandatory challenge reflect sporting obligations, while Usyk’s possible final fight and the uncertain title picture make it sensible to wait for the next bouts to settle who is available.