Daniel Dubois and Joseph Parker soon come to blows in the first big heavyweight showdown of the year.
Dubois is making the second defence of his IBF world title having already done so in emphatic style against Anthony Joshua back in September. That fight ended conclusively in the fifth round, just three months after Dubois also knocked out Filip Hrgovic.
New Zealander Parker presents a different set of challenges. The former WBO world champion is less of a puncher than AJ but has managed to box smart over the distance in his last two fights.
The first saw him beat Deontay Wilder on points after staying away from the American’s fearsome right hand, and the second was a similarly impressive points win over towering Chinese heavyweight Zhilei Zhang.
The fight takes place on a huge card in Saudi Arabia on February 22 but already the winner has been told who they must face next if they want to hold on to their belt according to promoter Ben Shalom via Sky Sports Boxing.
READ MORE;Dave Coldwell explains the threats Daniel Dubois will face against Joseph Parker
“If Bakole beats Efe Ajagba in May, he will be mandatory challenger to fight for the IBF world title, and we will be looking to enforce that mandatory immediately. He will be front of the queue and that fight will have to happen next.”
Bakole became the first man to defeat Jared Anderson when he knocked him out in five rounds last August, and also holds victories over Carols Takam and Tony Yoka over the past few years.
It had been thought that whoever wins between Dubois and Parker could be able to go into an undisputed fight with unified there-belt champion Oleksandr Usyk next, but this order from the IBF could dash those hopes for now.
