WHETHER he agrees to a rematch or sails the other way, Daniel Dubois' fifth-round knockout of Anthony Joshua certainly left the 27-year-old in a much stronger position.
DuBois' victory sent him up the ladder Boxing News Rating from sixth to third in our global top 10. Only two people remain ahead of Daniel: Alexander Usyk and Tyson Fury, who will meet in a rematch on December 21. Usyk already beat Dubois after a stoppage in the ninth round in the 2023 Polish affair.
Still, given Dubois' success since that night, mixed with the endless low-kick controversies followed by wins over Jarell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and now Joshua, the heavy hitter will think he has a shot at a second try. Of course, when Usyk defeated Fury. If Fury wins, depending on the circumstances, there could be a third fight on the table, with the best of the rest fighting each other for the scraps under the table.
Anthony Joshua's stunning defeat saw him drop below Zhilei Zhang and Joseph Parker, the latter being a heavyweight he had already defeated. Zhang also lost to Parker, but he could be considered a handful for anyone. The Chinese southpaw is rumored to be close to agreeing a fight with another heavyweight in Boxing News' 10th-ranked Martin Bakole.
Speedy Agit Kabayel, who has been talking about a possible Joseph Parker fight next, is ranked seventh and is looking to break into the top five. Deontay Wilder (#9) and Filip Hrgovic (#8) are currently holding their spots.