Promoter Frank Warren is chomping at the bit to get his heavyweight charge, Daniel Dubois, in the ring with British countryman Anthony Joshua.
Warren, the head of England-based Queensberry Promotions, was in high spirits after Dubois stopped Trevor Bryan in the fourth round of their WBA “World” heavyweight title bout earlier this month at Casino Miami Jai Alai in Miami, Florida. The win gave Dubois, once a highly regarded prospect, his third straight win since his knockout loss to Joe Joyce in 2020.
With the win over Bryan, the 24-year-old Dubois (18-1, 17 KOs) put himself into a position to be a mandatory for the winner of the heavyweight unification bout between Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine.
Joshua is projected to challenge WBA, WBO, IBO and IBF heavyweight champion Usyk sometime in August in Saudi Arabia. Joshua dropped a decision to Usyk in their first meeting in September at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
“I fancy him against anybody,” Warren said of Dubois in an interview with IFL TV. “He’s a big, big puncher. He’s got a great jab. I’ve said it before, I honestly think him and Joshua – I think he, Joshua, is made for him. My personal comment on that is I think he’s made for him.
“But Joshua’s gotta get through Usyk first.”
Warren made it clear he is pushing for Joshua, who is promoted by Warren’s bete noire, Eddie Hearn, to defeat Usyk.
“I want the Brit to win,” Warren said. “Of course, I do. This is where it’s all happening in the heavyweight division. It’s great if it comes through, AJ. We will all be delighted for him.”
Warren noted that he expects Dubois to return to the ring in the fall.
“He’ll fight late September, early October,” Warren said. “We will find a decent opponent for him to fight.”
Warren thinks longtime British contender Dillian Whyte would be an interesting opponent for Dubois at some point down the line. Warren famously butted heads with Whyte earlier this year, in April, in the promotion for Whyte’s challenge of WBC titleholder Tyson Fury, Warren’s charge. Whyte, among other things, refused to show up at the press conference to announce the fight and declined to partake in the pre-fight publicity. Fury defeated Whyte by sixth-round stoppage.
“Dillian, contrary to what he thought was going to happen working with us, I know he had a decent experience,” Warren said. “Why not? It’s a great fight.”
“I’ll be speaking to [Team Whyte],” Warren added.