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Frank Warren explains why Daniel Dubois turned down Joseph Parker fight
Frank Warren has revealed Daniel Dubois was offered the chance to face Joseph Parker in his first fight back after losing his undisputed clash with Oleksandr Usyk in July.
Dubois was knocked out inside five rounds by Usyk at Wembley as he fell short in his quest to hold all four heavyweight belts.
Usyk is now sidelined with a back injury, leaving his mandatory challenger Parker to take an interim bout with Fabio Wardley instead, with the winner in line to fight the Ukrainian icon next.
Dubois was also given the option of taking on Parker, but Warren has explained how an injury setback ruled him out of contention, with the Brit now set to return in 2026.
“The fight we wanted to make was one between him and Joseph Parker,” Warren told talkSPORT Boxing.Leigh Dawney/Queensberry
“We offered him the fight but he is now injured. So I now doubt that he will fight again this year. He will likely return in January or February next year.”
Dubois and Parker were also due to meet back in February when the former held the IBF title after beating Anthony Joshua last year.
However, Dubois was forced to pull out during fight week due to illness, with Martin Bakole stepping in on short notice to face Parker.
The Kiwi heavyweight needed just two rounds to take out Bakole but did not manage to get his bout with Dubois rescheduled as an undisputed fight against Usyk was arranged for the summer.
It has now emerged that Parker has narrowly missed out on facing Dubois again, but he remains on the verge of becoming a two-time heavyweight champion.
If Parker beats Wardley next month he will be at the front of the queue to fight Usyk. Should the Ukrainian vacate his title for a bigger payday elsewhere, Parker could be elevated to full champion.
This would leave him a strong negotiating position if he wants to revisit a showdown with Dubois for the pair to finally settle their differences in the ring.
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