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Daniel Dubois calls out No.1 heavyweight on Joshua-Ngannou card

Written by Jared Parry on 7th February 2024.

Daniel Dubois

Daniel Dubois is back in the gym and sets sights on No.1 heavyweight as his next rival

Daniel Dubois picked up criticism for the way his fight with Oleksandr Usyk ended back in August, but he silenced any doubters in December when he became the first man to stop the outspoken American, Jarrell Miller on the ‘Day of Reckoning’ card in Riyadh, and is now targeting a return to Saudi Arabia to face another fighter who fought on that same card.

Filip Hrgovic is the man on Dubois’s hit-list. The Croatian heavyweight is the mandatory challenger to Usyk’s IBF world title, but with the unified heavyweight champion set to challenge WBC king Tyson Fury in the undisputed fight on a rescheduled date of May 18th, the IBF #1 will have to continue to wait.

The last time 31-year-old Hrgovic was in the ring, he bowled over Mark De Mori inside a round in December on the ‘Day Of Reckoning’ card, and when he heard that the clash between Fury and Usyk was postponed, he didn’t hesitate to throw his name into the mix.

However, Dubois has taken to social media today to call out Hrgovic, where he says:

“Hrgovic, I’m the Daddy.

“I heard you’ve been calling everyone else’s name, I can’t hear mine.

“Are you ready? Because I’m ready!”

Speaking on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Hour, His Excellency Turki Alalshikh made a public offer for Hrgovic to return on the Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou card on March 8th in Riyadh and listed Dubois, Martin Bakole, Frank Sanchez, Jarrell Miller, Agit Kabayel, and Jared Anderson as potential opponents.

Dubois has made it clear he wants that fight next, and, if it is made, a victory could steer him back into world title contention.