Not before time, a decision has been made on the title status of Daniel Dubois’ heavyweight bout with Filip Hrgovic, which takes place in Riyadh on June 1. The IBF has confirmed that the interim version of the title will be at stake in this fight.
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It was originally anticipated that Hrgovic, the IBF's mandatory challenger, and Dubois would contest the full title. However, Oleksandr Usyk, who recently became the undisputed champion, has requested an exception from the IBF while under medical suspension following his epic triumph over Tyson Fury.
Under the circumstances, the IBF has granted Usyk the extension, but it’s still unclear if they’ll allow the talented Ukrainian to retain their title for his December 21 rematch with Fury. If Usyk is stripped of the title in the coming weeks, then the Dubois-Hrgovic winner will be upgraded to full champion.
The Sporting News provides the facts surrounding the IBF's stance and assesses the possibility of the Dubois-Hrgovic winner facing British superstar Anthony Joshua later this year:
Why would the IBF strip Oleksandr Usyk of their title?
In August 2022, Filip Hrgovic scored a razor-thin 12-round unanimous decision win over China’s Zhilei Zhang in Jeddah. That victory saw the Croatian star installed as the IBF mandatory challenger and he was in perfect place for a world title shot.
However, due to the huge amount of time it took Fury and Usyk to come together for their undisputed championship fight, Hrgovic has remained on the outside looking in. He has stayed active, posting stoppage wins over Demsey McKean and Mark Di Mori, but the 31-year-old boxer-puncher is desperate for a title fight.
On Tuesday, when he was advised by Charlie Parsons of The Stomping Ground that the vacant title may not be up for grabs in his bout with Dubois, frustrations boiled over.
“What do you mean isn’t [for the vacant belt]?” snapped Hrgovic. “It should be for the belt, man, what are you talking about? It is. That’s what I heard. I mean, that was the plan from the beginning, so what changed now? I expect it to be for the title. That’s what I was told.”
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Will Anthony Joshua fight Dubois vs. Hrgovic winner?
If there’s an opportunity for Joshua to fight for a world title, then he's sure to jump at it. "AJ" harbours hopes of becoming a three-time heavyweight champion and a matchup with the Dubois-Hrgovic winner is high on the priority list.
There is sure to be more clarity on this situation when Usyk's suspension is lifted and the IBF makes a decision. If the 37-year-old lefty is allowed to retain the title, then Joshua could go in a completely different direction. A fight between AJ and Saturday's main event between Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang might be a more lucrative assignment.
However, if Usyk is stripped, then you can almost bank on Joshua fighting for the IBF title against Hrgovic or Dubois in September.
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