Dubois to defend world heavyweight title against Parker in Saudi Arabia

Dubois’ clash with Parker headlines a stacked boxing lineup with a Beterbiev-Bivol rematch the co-main lawsuit successful Riyadh.

The International Boxing Federation’s (IBF) satellite heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois volition support his rubric against Joseph Parker connected February 22 successful Riyadh, lawsuit organisers successful Saudi Arabia person confirmed.

The fight, announced Tuesday, volition beryllium the co-main lawsuit for the undisputed satellite airy heavyweight rubric rematch betwixt Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol successful a seven-bout paper announced by Turki Alalshikh, the caput of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority.

Dubois, who was awarded the loop successful June aft then-undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine relinquished it, made his archetypal palmy defence against chap British boxer Anthony Joshua connected September 21.

The 27-year-old from London volition look New Zealand’s Parker, the World Boxing Organization’s (WBO) interim heavyweight champion, successful a bid to support the rubric and rise his pedigree arsenic the heavyweight champion.

The combat is portion of the Riyadh Season lawsuit titled The Last Crescendo, which volition beryllium headlined by the rematch betwixt Canadian-Russian combatant Beterbiev and Russian boxer Bivol for the satellite airy heavyweight title.

Beterbiev bushed Bivol by a bulk determination successful October.

Alalshikh termed the combat nighttime successful the Saudi superior “one of the top cards ever” successful his announcement connected X.

One of the top cards ever connected February 22 successful Riyadh 🥊🔥#BigTime#RiyadhSeason pic.twitter.com/4jQEowMXvD

— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) December 2, 2024

The 1.96m (Six feet, 5 inches) Dubois has an imposing nonrecreational grounds with 22 wins from 24 fights.

In a defiant outburst upon beating his much celebrated hostile Joshua astatine Wembley Stadium, Dubois reacted to the pro-Joshua assemblage by bellowing, “Are you not entertained?”

“I’m a gladiator,” helium said. “I’m a warrior to the bitter end. I privation to spell to the apical level of this crippled and scope my afloat potential. Behind the scenes, I’ve been moving hard, with each my household and my team. They’ve each helped me.”

“I’m not going to halt until I scope my afloat potential.”

Immediately aft the fight, Parker called retired Dubois to situation him for a fight. Parker, who has won his past 4 fights, suggested helium look Dubois, with the victor past taking connected the victor of Usyk vs Fury for the undisputed title.

Usyk vacated the IBF rubric conscionable 5 weeks aft becoming the archetypal combatant to unify the belts successful astir 25 years. Usyk volition look Tyson Fury, whom helium bushed successful a divided determination connected May 18, successful a rematch for the WBA, WBO and WBC belts connected December 21 successful Riyadh.

The main lawsuit for the February 22 combat nighttime volition spot fierce rivals Beterbiev and Bivol travel look to look aft 4 months.

Their past bout saw 2 ringside judges people the combat 115-113 and 116-112 to Beterbiev, portion the 3rd called it tied astatine 114-114.

Both men were undefeated earlier the October fight, with Bivol holding the WBA loop and Beterbiev the reigning WBC, WBO and IBF champion.

The past undisputed airy heavyweight champion was American Roy Jones Jr, who bushed Reggie Johnson to unify the WBA, WBC and IBF belts successful 1999.

Artur Beterbiev punches Dmitrii Bivol during the IBF, IBO, WBC and WBO World Light Heavyweight titles combat successful Riyadh connected October 12, 2024 [Richard Pelham/Getty Images]