Joshua to fight Dubois for IBF heavyweight crown in 'Riyadh Season: Wembley Edition'

Anthony Joshua will take on Daniel Dubois in an all-British bout for the vacant IBF heavyweight belt at Wembley Stadium on September 21 in the second of two ‘Riyadh Season’ cards to be held outside of Saudi Arabia.

Oleksandr Usyk was crowned the first undisputed heavyweight champion in the four-belt era five weeks ago when he defeated Tyson Fury via a split decision after a thrilling encounter at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.

But the Ukranian has been forced to relinquish the IBF belt as he is set for a rematch against Fury in December. “Anthony and Daniel, I know the IBF title is important to you. It is my present to you on 21 September,” Usyk said in a video message on X.

Usyk's mandatory IBF title defence against challenger Filip Hrgovic was left pending and 26-year-old Dubois became the new interim IBF heavyweight champion by stopping the Croatian in the eighth round in the Saudi capital earlier this month.

Joshua is on a four-fight winning streak – the last of which a brutal second-round knockout of MMA star Francis Ngannou – and is looking to become a three-time heavyweight champion which would see him join an elite group of fighters in Muhammad Ali, Michael Moorer, Lennox Lewis and Vitali Klitschko.

The 34-year-old has a 28-3 career record having lost against Andy Ruiz Jr and twice to Usyk. “Congratulations to Daniel for winning his last fight, but we’re here now,” Joshua said in Wednesday's press conference.

“I went out to watch his last fight, it was a good fight between the two of them and I picked Dubois to win as well. He came through, we’re here and Dubois has been on my mind for a while, and he will be for the next 12 weeks.