Joseph Parker Among Daniel Dubois' Potential Challengers
WBO heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois is considering several opponents for his next title defense, including Joseph Parker. Parker is preparing to resume his career now that his doping suspension has been lifted.
World heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois is weighing up possible opponents for his next title defense. New Zealander Joseph Parker is among the names on the list. The two were due to meet for the IBF title in February 2025, but Parker was forced to withdraw in the week of the fight after falling ill.
Parker was suspended after a doping test in October 2025 returned a positive result. Having announced in August that he would continue his career, the boxer began to look ahead again when UK Anti-Doping confirmed he could return to the ring in the summer months. Parker maintains that the positive result came from contact with cocaine used by his nutritionist.
Dubois, for his part, knocked out Fabio Wardley in the second round of their rematch earlier this month. Speaking to Sky Sports, Dubois said he is interested in the winner of the Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua fight, or in a unification bout against WBC champion Agit Kabayel or IBF titleholder Filip Hrgovic. Noting that Hrgovic is also a tough opponent, Dubois said he has yet to see what kind of boxer Kabayel is.
Parker is 34 years old. He held the WBO title between 2016 and 2018, and his wins over Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang and Martin Bakole brought him a renewed rise in his career. His defeat to Wardley, however, has stood in the way of that recovery.
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