DANIEL DUBOIS will have to defend the IBF heavyweight world championship against Derek Chisora this summer.
According to World Boxing News, the IBF will order Dubois, 27, to face Chisora, 41, by June 21.
And The Ring reported the mandatory bout will be officially called on April 22.
An IBF spokesperson said: “Derek Chisora is the mandatory challenger for Daniel Dubois but the mandatory bout is due to be ordered on April 22.
“There is not enough time for an eliminator since Dubois’ mandatory is due on June 21.”
But there is one thing that could change these plans and land Dubois with a different opponent.
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It’s widely expected that the British heavyweight will seek to unify his title with Oleksandr Usyk’s WBA, WBO, WBC and Ring belts.
Thus, a fight with Usyk would take precedence over a mandatory title defence against Chisora.
The spokesperson added: “If Daniel Dubois wants to pursue the unification, that would take precedence over the mandatory.”
This comes after Dubois was forced to withdraw from his scheduled world title defence against Joseph Parker due to illness last month.
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Dynamite was replaced by Martin Bakole, who agreed to fill in on short notice.
Parker ended up competing in a non-title bout in which he beat Bakole via technical knockout in the second round.
Dubois hasn’t been in action since knocking Anthony Joshua out at Wembley in September.
If DDD faces Chisora then the latter could become world champion in his 50th and final boxing fight.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
