The International Boxing Federation (IBF) has outlined its current plans regarding heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois, who recently announced his return following illness. According to the organization, Dubois faces two potential paths: a unification bout or a mandatory title defense against Derek Chisora.
“Derek Chisora is the mandatory challenger for Daniel Dubois, but the official order for the mandatory will be issued on April 22.
There’s no time left for an eliminator, since the defense must take place by June 21. If Daniel Dubois opts for a unification fight, that will take priority over the mandatory,” explained an IBF representative.
Chisora currently holds the No. 2 spot in the IBF rankings, with the No. 1 position vacant. Meanwhile, Oleksandr Usyk and Dubois’ teams are reportedly exploring a unification bout — though the WBO has ordered Usyk to negotiate a title defense against Joseph Parker.