Three possible foes for Daniel Dubois rebuild after second Oleksandr Usyk loss

Daniel Dubois finds himself at a career crossroads after suffering a second loss to Oleksandr Usyk, missing out on the chance to become undisputed heavyweight champion.

The Briton was dismissed inside five superb rounds from the Ukrainian, who reclaimed the IBF belt he previously relinquished to his rival after taking a rematch with Tyson Fury.

Dubois silenced his critics with a ruthless victory of his own against Anthony Joshua last September to confirm his place at the summit of the top glamour division in style.

But, two years on from a ninth-round loss marked by controversy in Poland, he had no answers in a cut-and-dried rematch that exposed the gulf in class between him and Usyk.

DAZN News has already profiled who 'The Cat' could face as he begins his reign as two-time kingpin - but who could figure in a rebuild for Dubois as he aims to bounce back?

Anthony Joshua

In the wake of his defeat to Usyk, there is no bigger carrot for 'Dynamite' than a rematch with the man he so soundly defeated under the arch at Wembley Stadium last autumn.

Joshua may not necessarily be the fighter he was at the peak of his powers, when he scored those major wins over Wladimir Klitschko, Joseph Parker and Alexander Povetkin.

But he arguably remains the premier draw in British boxing, a blockbuster name whose transformation from Olympics hero to superstar professional is now enshrined in folklore.

Dubois punctured the myth and seemingly hastened his fellow countryman towards the stage door when he dispatched him inside five brutal rounds as the underodg in London.

After being on the wrong end of such a humbling reverse himself however, his own stock has taken a hit - and a chance to prove his win over Joshua was no fluke will tempt him.

Whether Joshua himself wants the bout anymore however is anybody's guess. He failed to meet the deadline for a seemingly cut-and-dried rematch and has not fought since.

Usyk himself namechecked a potential trilogy bout with AJ after his latest victory, while the eternal promise of a Tyson Fury super-fight is the dream that refuses to die for the star.

Throw in the spectre of Jake Paul - reportedly in discussions over a big-money dance that would send shockwaves through the division - and Dubois may need to wait his turn.

Derek Chisora

If Joshua isn't on the table, there's still a plethora of big-name stars Dubois could target for a major domestic dust-up - and few are more entertaining picks than 'Del Boy' himself.

Chisora, one of the sport's most recognisable warhorses, is a two-time world title challenger on the cusp of hanging up his gloves, having said his next bout will be his final one.

Forty-nine fights into his professional career, the star has shared the ring with no shortage of superstars, including WBC shots a decade apart against Vitali Klitschko and Fury.

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Now, he unexpectedly finds himself in contention for one last dance too, having been awarded mandatory challenger status for the IBF crown after February's win over Otto Wallin.

With no interim champion currently in place for the governing body, a refusal by Usyk to face Chisora could see him forced to vacate the belt once again if he is ordered to do so.

That could set up a chance for a blockbuster where the latter would face another challenger to take the belt outright - and would offer Dubois an immediate path back to the top.

Whereas a Joshua fight would yield both professional and commercial vindication, any bout with Chisora could prove to be more of a wildcard for 'Dynamite' as he seeks to rebuild.

But at the very least, title or not, a dance between the two could represent a superb clash between two generational favourites that serves as a passing-of-the-torch moment.

Fabio Wardley

If Dubois wants to restore the shine to his reputation away from the division's veteran superstars, then a clash with another rising British talent could prove to be his best option.

Wardley theoretically will have bigger fish to fry, having been named WBA interim champion after a stunning late knockout against Justis Huni in June when on the back foot.

Depending on who Usyk picks at the top of the division, the Ukrainian may be forced to vacate his WBA crown, which supposedly opens the door for the Briton's elevation.

Like Chisora, there is no assurance that Wardley will step up to the full title, but if he does so, he will have no shortage of rivals snapping at his heels to take a shot at his crown.

Dubois may well be best placed to do so, particularly given it seems unlikely the division's more senior faces such as Parker and Joshua would chase the strap with other options.

Furthermore, 'Dynamite' would likely still be able to dictate more favourable terms for both his camp and purse, given the seniority of his reputation over Wardley across his career.

Even if Wardley is not elevated - the WBA also has its Regular champion Kubrat Pulev to consider - a matchup would still likely prove to be a promising matchup for the star too.

That said, any suggestion it is a low-risk affair should be discarded. Wardley may have laboured in some of his fights, but his knockout power shows he needs only one punch to finish.

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