World heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois has stepped down from his much-anticipated title defense against Joseph Parker, scheduled for Saturday, due to an unexpected illness. This announcement comes as a significant shake-up in the boxing world, particularly as this fight was set to mark Dubois’ first title defense before an impressive crowd of 96,000 fans in the English capital. The decision to withdraw was made overnight following a medical examination in Saudi Arabia, where Dubois was deemed unfit to fight.
Dubois ascended to the position of champion when Oleksandr Usyk relinquished the title to fulfill a rematch clause with Tyson Fury. He officially claimed the interim belt in June after defeating Filip Hrgovic, and later defended his International Boxing Federation (IBF) title with a knockout victory against Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium in September. Promoter Frank Warren confirmed Dubois’ absence from a Thursday news conference in Riyadh due to ongoing medical evaluations.
“Unfortunately at this moment in time, Daniel is being evaluated by a doctor, and when we have more news, we will share it with you and update you.” – Frank Warren
In Dubois' stead, Congolese fighter Martin Bakole will step into the ring against Joseph Parker. Bakole was reportedly "on his way" to Saudi Arabia from the Democratic Republic of the Congo as soon as the news broke. Parker, who claimed the World Boxing Organization (WBO) heavyweight title in 2016 by defeating Mexican Andy Ruiz, expressed well-wishes for Dubois while looking forward to the upcoming bout.
“If he is ill, I hope he gets well soon, and I’m looking forward to Saturday and a great show,” – Joseph Parker
This unexpected change adds another layer of intrigue to an already eventful night, with the main attraction being the rematch between light-heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. The bout follows Beterbiev’s controversial win over Bivol via points decision in October, which crowned him the undisputed champion.
Joseph Parker once held the WBO heavyweight title until he lost it to Anthony Joshua in 2018. His upcoming fight against Bakole will be a test of his resolve and ability to reclaim his former glory in the ring.
