BoxRec

Daniel Dubois To Defend IBF Heavyweight Title Against Anthony Joshua At Wembley Stadium

Newly-minted IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois will make the first defense of his title against Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium on September 21.

Dubois has been crowned champion after Oleksandr Usyk, who became the undisputed ruler with a May victory over Tyson Fury, relinquished the IBF title to allow the London heavyweights to fight for the belt.

Joshua will bid to become a heavyweight champion for the third time in his lucrative and decorated career against a man he has shared sparring rounds with in the past.

Both are members of the heavyweight division’s ‘in-form club’, with Dubois coming off stoppage wins over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic and Joshua posting one-sided victories over Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.

The Wembley stadium bill will include the WBO interim light-heavyweight title fight between 18-0 (13 KOs) Joshua Buatsi and Willy Hutchinson, 18-1 (13 KOs), a middleweight bout between European champion Tyler Denny, 19-2-3 (1 KO), and the highly-regarded Hamzah Sheeraz, 20-0 (16 KOs), and Ireland’s IBF southpaw super featherweight champion will make the first defense of the title he won from Joe Cordina in May. There is also an interesting middleweight clash between Liverpool veteran Liam Smith, 33-4-1 (20 KOs), and 15-1-1 (8 KOs) Josh Kelly, while Portsmouth lightweight Mark Chamberlain, 16-0 (12 KOs), is on the bill against fellow unbeaten contender Josh Padley, 14-0 (4 KOs).

There was strong speculation that the heavyweight rematch between Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke would be included on the bill, but that is now likely to go ahead on a separate bill on Sky Sports.

More to follow.

Liam Smith: "Josh Kelly's Making The Same 'Mistake' As Anthony Fowler"

“This is a great fight on a huge card. It's a fight that not many people thought about but now it's announced, they can see it's an interesting fight.

"My focus is on Josh Kelly; I am massively confident of winning. Josh and Adam [Booth, Kelly’s trainer] probably feel like they are getting me at right time. Fighters have made that mistake before, and they are doing the same thing.

"Josh has got to step up at some point and this might be his right time, but people have thought they are getting me at the right before – Anthony Fowler did so after I fought in Russia. I feel refreshed now, we have long enough to go, this has lit the fire in my belly. Big respect for Josh and Adam, but business is business.”

“But it's not about this being the right time to fight Liam – it’s Josh's time. Adam Booth has done a fantastic job, this man is on fire. I believe this fight will steal the show."

Would love to see smith roll back the clock but can’t see it. That last Eubank fight and seeing what shape he was in yesterday are signs that won’t be the case

Looks like a payday for Smith. He was so bad in his last fight that i'm struggling to see how it can only have been just an off night.

His mind might be up for it, his body not so much.

Wasn't that just a foot injury?

this would have been great, about 4 years ago, would love to have seen Smith smash the absolute sh1t out of Kelly just like Ava did (and he would have done, too)

now Kelly will get to waltz around and showboat and flatter to deceive and do all the sh1t that made me hate him in the first place with little-no jeopardy of paying for it

hope Smith gets paid well

Looking forward to my fellow Mackem beating Liam Smith into retirement.

Surprised to see Smith fighting again after the Eubank beating. They will be giving Paul Smith another World Title shot at this rate

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑27 Jun 2024, 09:30 Wasn't that just a foot injury?

Yes, that's what I thought.

Looked badly out of shape at the presser, think this could be one sided for Kelly

D4v3 wrote: ↑27 Jun 2024, 17:01 Looked badly out of shape at the presser, think this could be one sided for Kelly

3 months to go
So can Liam get in shape ?

The Liam Smith of a couple of years ago would fold up Josh like a deckchair. But this version, who turned up injured on a wing and a prayer last time out, could well be shot to hell.

MightyWarrior wrote: ↑28 Jun 2024, 02:37 The Liam Smith of a couple of years ago would fold up Josh like a deckchair. But this version, who turned up injured on a wing and a prayer last time out, could well be shot to hell.

I imagine the money on offer is too big to turn down.

Hopefully he won't be like his brother v Andre Ward

Counter-puncher wrote: ↑27 Jun 2024, 09:50 this would have been great, about 4 years ago, would love to have seen Smith smash the absolute sh1t out of Kelly just like Ava did (and he would have done, too)

now Kelly will get to waltz around and showboat and flatter to deceive and do all the sh1t that made me hate him in the first place with little-no jeopardy of paying for it

hope Smith gets paid well

This exactly. Sad, but that's the nature of the business.

Liam had a lot of bad injuries and a terrible camp in general for CEJ2. He was told he couldn’t postpone otherwise Chris would move on to Benn (lol) instead.

The two fights with Eubank were mad because they both showed up in no shape at all once each.

Liam has just got back from Callum’s wedding, imagine that puts a few pounds on ye, and it’s 3 months out.

Kelly I don’t know, blows hot and cold.

I’m not making excuses, I think Beef isn’t quite shot yet but past it. No idea what JK does

Very interesting to hear Liam's comments on Ben Shalom.

keithmoonhangover wrote: ↑28 Jun 2024, 16:48 Very interesting to hear Liam's comments on Ben Shalom.

He's not keen, is he?

mickey1975 wrote: ↑28 Jun 2024, 17:22

keithmoonhangover wrote: ↑28 Jun 2024, 16:48 Very interesting to hear Liam's comments on Ben Shalom.

He's not keen, is he?

Nope. I haven't heard a good word said about Shalom by anyone not under contract.

keithmoonhangover wrote: ↑28 Jun 2024, 16:48 Very interesting to hear Liam's comments on Ben Shalom.

what did he say?

He ought to be grateful to Shalom. The only times he’s fought on PPV in this country are for the Eubank fights that Shalom engineered.

Let’s be honest it wasn’t exactly a fight that the public were calling for & Smith’s not exactly a big name. Hearn couldn’t deliver him a PPV fight despite years of talking about it.

I don’t know what he got for the Canelo fight but I’m certain the two fights under Shalom would have been two of his biggest three paydays.

Im gonna go against the general feeling re smith and although I rate kelly just see him getting old manned in a hard grueling fight .
Smith by PTS .

His last one V eubank was terrible - injuries etc we all know and so I expect him to turn up in his best condition plus he has the experience of these huge events to call on .

keithmoonhangover wrote: ↑27 Jun 2024, 11:20 Looking forward to my fellow Mackem beating Liam Smith into retirement.

Oh dear my commiserations .

I thought Smith's ankles were shot ? .

stevec@france wrote: ↑29 Jun 2024, 05:06

keithmoonhangover wrote: ↑27 Jun 2024, 11:20 Looking forward to my fellow Mackem beating Liam Smith into retirement.

Oh dear my commiserations .

"If You Will it, it is No Dream"

Or in Mackem, Ha'way!