The International Boxing Federation has granted Dubois the opportunity to engage in an optional title defense against any boxer ranked within the top 15 before April 22. Given his current eighth position in the rankings and possession of the WBC silver title, Ajagba stands as a prominent candidate for this title defense..
Frank Warren, Dubois’ promoter, confirmed that the champion will defend his title in February, as Joshua’s team has indicated they will not be prepared for an immediate rematch. “Daniel will defend his title in February, and if it’s not Joshua, then it’ll be against someone ranked in the top five,” Warren stated to Sky Sports.
The 27-year-old Dubois, who captured the title with a remarkable fifth-round knockout of Joshua at Wembley Stadium in September, has an impressive record of 21 knockouts in 22 wins. In contrast, Ajagba has achieved 14 knockouts in 20 fights, suffering only one defeat.
Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, expressed concerns regarding the quick turnaround for his fighter, who has amassed over $200 million throughout his career, including $75 million from fights scheduled in 2024 alone. The British-Nigerian boxer is still recovering from injuries sustained in the September match and is anticipated to return to the ring in the summer.
Warren elaborated that Joshua would be “out of the picture” for some time due to mandatory challenger commitments. “First of all, the fight Daniel had against AJ was his mandatory, so he is allowed a period, which means he can fight in February and he’s allowed up until April or May to make a voluntary defense,” he explained.
As per IBF President Daryl Peoples, the champion is entitled to an optional defense. This paves the way for a potentially exciting matchup between Dubois and Ajagba, as both fighters are closely matched in terms of weight and power.
The winner may have the opportunity to face the champion of the Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury rematch, scheduled for December 21 in Saudi Arabia, where the WBC, WBO, and WBA titles will be contested.