British duel for Usyk's vacant title: Joshua vs. Dubois. GETTY IMAGES

Anthony Joshua will face Daniel Dubois in an all-British showdown for the IBF world heavyweight title on 21 September, after Oleksandr Usyk confirmed he had vacated the belt last Wednesday.


Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk, 37, became the first heavyweight to hold all four International Boxing Federation (IBF), World Boxing Council (WBC), World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Organisation (WBO) belts when he defeated Tyson Fury by split decision in Saudi Arabia last month.

With a rematch scheduled for December in the Arab country, the boxer will not be fighting again before then. He therefore asked for a waiver, but the IBF refused, forcing him to give up his heavyweight title.

As a result, Daniel Dubois goes from interim to champion and will face Anthony Joshua on 21 September in an all-British clash at Wembley Stadium.

The Ukrainian is due to face the Briton in a rematch in December and will therefore not be able to face Dubois, who would have been the mandatory challenger.

"Anthony and Daniel, I know how important the IBF title is to you. It's my gift to you on September 21st," said the Ukrainian boxer, who will give Fury the rematch on December 21st in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, in a video posted on social networks.

Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois face off during IBF Heavyweight World Title fight announcement. GETTY IMAGES
Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois face off during IBF Heavyweight World Title fight announcement. GETTY IMAGES


The fight for the belt will feature two highly skilled boxers. Two-time world champion Joshua, 34, has 28 wins and three losses in his career, while Dubois, 26, has won 21 of his 23 fights.

"Dubois has been on my mind for a while," said Joshua. "I'm going to be thinking about him for the next 12 weeks until I raise my hand in victory."

Asked about the 8-year gap between him and his opponent, Joshua said: "I feel fresh," he said. "I feel good. I don't drink, I don't smoke. That's it, that's my only weakness, socialising. I don't get into trouble outside of boxing. I use boxing to keep myself on the right track".

"Young boxers who are coming up, take care of your body, take care of your mind," advised the boxer, who was born in Watford in October 1989.

The youngest of the boxers, Dubois, said Joshua had been "the king for a long time". "On the night I have to be the king slayer," he added. "That's my goal, that's the mission I have."

"I'm ready to let my fists do the talking. One hundred percent ready, training like an animal. So bring it on," concluded the Greenwich-born boxer, who was born in September 1997.