One who loves taking challenges is the one who wins the battle. And the man of the moment? Daniel Dubois is the man in demand right now. The IBF heavyweight champion stunned the world after defeating Anthony Joshua in September last year in a sold-out Wembley Stadium. End of the job? No, fresh off that victory, Dubois threw down the gauntlet to unified heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk following Usyk’s win over Tyson Fury.

But now there’s more to it. With the IBF now naming Derek Chisora as his mandatory challenger, the list of fighters vying for a shot at Dubois is growing fast. The choice lies with him, and it looks like he has finally made his decision. A blockbuster clash he promises will dwarf his AJ triumph and smash every heavyweight record in the books. Can Dubious come out and stand tall in front of Chisora’s “I’ll sell out Wembley!” claim?

Daniel Dubois eyeing the biggest heavyweight clash

In a recent interview with Ring Magazine, the 27-year-old opened up about his burning desire for a July showdown with Oleksandr Usyk. And no, this is no rumor. The British boxer has expressed his desire to pick up the Ukrainian, as discussions run parallel. It is backed by the two camps, and Dynamite surely added fuel to those whispers.

“Definitely July, a big fight in July against Usyk. That’s what I want. There’s talks, negotiations happening behind the scenes, the two teams are going back and forth,” he revealed.

Dubois is confident in sealing the fight, already mentally preparing for what he predicts will eclipse his epic Anthony Joshua bout.“The Usyk fight [at Wembley] would be like the AJ fight but way bigger, the biggest fight in the world. That’s the fight that really excites me and there’s revenge there as well,” he added, referring to the loss he suffered against Usyk in 2023.

But to put the fact straight, the AJ-Dubois fight was watched by 85,466 fans in the stadium and garnered 815,000 PPV buys worldwide. However, of that total, the U.S. market only accounted for 15,000 buys. An abysmally disappointing number, despite it being priced at just $19.99. So, a fight between Usyk and Dubois for the undisputed title should attract more than one without much difficulty. The expectations are high, but will fans respond to the call to make it historic?

“The Usyk fight for undisputed would create history, that would be a massive historic event. Just like the AJ fight, the build-up at Leicester Square, it would just be amazing to be a part of that sort of fight,” he added. The IBF heavyweight champion didn’t hold back, vowing, “I’ll be the man to stop him(Usyk). I just see it. I’ll be the first man to beat him. Fight news is coming soon.” 

While Daniel Dubois is excited to fight Usyk, it has left 41-year-old Derek Chisora, who’s been targeting Dynamite as his farewell bout at the crossroads.

Derek Chisora’s fairytale ending is in jeopardy

A few months ago, Chisora defeated veteran Otto Wallin to become the mandatory challenger for the IBF heavyweight title. War accepted the fight, revealing that it would be his last dance in the squared circle. In a recent interview with Sky Sports News, the Mbare native doubled down on his stance, saying he’s willing to bide his time if Dubois opts for a July clash with Usyk.

However, it does not look like the Greenwich native is too high in that clash. In his Ring Magazine interview, he stated, “I’m not really interested [in the Chisora fight] like that, but sure, why not?” He added, “You know, I’m more up for Parker, Usyk and AJ, those guys, the top names. But I guess take him on as a comeback fight or something.”

Comeback fight? Dubois isn’t stepping away from the game anytime soon to need a warm-up bout. On the other hand, at 41, Chisora’s clock is ticking louder by the day. Even though he is ready to wait for Dubois to come around, he doesn’t have much time in the sport. So, unless the IBF forces their heavyweight champion to face Chisora, the latter’s dreams are dangling on the razor’s edge.

If that is the case, War needs to find an alternative soon. However, nothing will beat a farewell fight in a packed-out Wembley watching Chisora fighting for his first-ever world championship.

What do you think about Daniel Dubois’ decision? Should Derek Chisora get ‘this’ fight? Let us know your thoughts down below.