Tyson Fury might not need Anthony Joshua for an all-British heavyweight super-fight as Daniel Dubois eyes ‘new era’
When Tyson Fury declared that he intended to return to boxing, he revealed he wanted to pursue a trilogy fight with Oleksandr Usyk rather than a long-awaited all-British battle with Anthony Joshua; But London’s Daniel Dubois is convinced beating Oleksandr Usyk would lead him to Fury
Tyson Fury might not need Anthony Joshua for an all-British heavyweight super-fight when he returns to boxing.
Fury announced his retirement at the start of this year, but has subsequently declared he will come back in 2026.
The former world champion is targeting a trilogy with Oleksandr Usyk, rather than a long-awaited all-British battle with Anthony Joshua. But London’s Daniel Dubois is convinced that, if can defeat the Ukrainian, he will be on course for a clash with Fury himself.
“Certainly,” Dubois told Sky Sports. “That’s a good position to be in. To be the man. You’ve got to come to me for all the belts if you want to be making some money and being in big-time boxing. It’s a good position.
“For sure, the future’s bright, when the heavyweight division is healthy, business is good.
“It’ll be like a bringing of a new era. The old guys sort of fading out and a new crop coming through.”
Promoter Frank Warren, who represents both Dubois and Fury, doesn’t think a fight between the pair is out of the question. “No, it’s not. It’s up to Tyson,” he told Sky Sports. “[It’s] very bright for British boxing.”
Dubois is fighting a rematch with Usyk at Wembley stadium, and may have a third fight with the Ukrainian if he is victorious on July 19.
“It shows that boxing’s very much alive in this country,” Warren said. “We’ve got to see what happens after the fight. It’ll be one a piece.”
Usyk won their first bout when he halted Dubois inside nine rounds in 2023. Although Usyk has never lost a professional bout, and has beaten Tony Bellew, Derek Chisora, Anthony Joshua (twice) and Tyson Fury (twice) along the way, Dubois is adamant that he now knows how to beat him.
“I’ll give him a real fight this time. That’s all I’ve got to say,” Dubois said. “We’ll have a game plan on the night. We’ve gone over it and ready to execute it now. We’ve got it all covered, I think.
“I’m preparing for him, we’re going to deliver.
“I know myself, I know I wasn’t 100 per cent right for that [first] fight,” he continued. “I’m not even looking back at that, I’m looking at a whole other fight, a whole different, fresh project.
“I don’t try and look back too much because we’re going forward in life. I’m a man of the future.
“Those two fights against Fury, those were definitely his moments. He’s got wear and tear, he’s been around a while.”
Dubois insisted: “Fury doesn’t throw bombs like I do so we’ll see.
“I need to make sure it’s going to be a passing of the torch. I’m the new fresh fighter, I’m the young lion and this is my time.”
Itauma in the mix?
Usyk, a small, fast southpaw who has proved to be peerless in the heavyweight division, is a difficult opponent to replicate in training.
Moses Itauma, an electric heavyweight prospect from the UK, is not small, but he is a wickedly quick southpaw. Dubois though has not been sparring with him in his training camp.
“Not a lot of fighters can [replicate Usyk], I don’t think, even southpaws, but we’ve got alright sparring, we’ve got alright work and sparring, everything combined is going to get me in the right place,” Dubois said.
“We’ve got guys like [Itauma] anyway, similar guys, similar fighters, so I think we’re covered.”
On Itauma’s current trajectory he could be a future opponent for Dubois. That fight could come sooner than most expect too.
“Yeah, possibly yeah, that’s what the game’s about. But I’m focused, tunnel vision on what I’ve got to do. First things first,” Dubois said.
“I’m going to win all the titles that’s the next step.”
