Daniel Dubois may have come up short in his attempt to reclaim heavyweight glory, but the Londoner remains firmly in the conversation among the division’s top contenders.
In July, Dubois was stopped by Oleksandr Usyk at Wembley Stadium, two years after their first encounter in Poland. Many had hoped the Brit could pull off the upset in the rematch. Having rebuilt his career with wins over Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic, and Anthony Joshua, Dubois entered Usyk-Dubois II as IBF champion, while Usyk held the other three belts. Usyk’s victory, coupled with his earlier decision to vacate the IBF title—which had briefly elevated Dubois from interim to full champion—cemented Usyk as a two-time undisputed heavyweight ruler.
On Saturday night, Dubois (22-3-1, 21 KOs) was ringside at the O2 Arena, watching Fabio Wardley stage another dramatic comeback, stopping Joseph Parker in the 11th round to remain unbeaten. Wardley now appears poised for a shot at Usyk in 2026, while other contenders in the heavyweight chase are plotting their moves.
One rising star is Germany’s Agit Kabayel (26-0, 18 KOs). A series of Riyadh Season victories over Arslanbek Makhmudov, Frank Sanchez, and Zhilei Zhang earned him the WBC interim belt and a place among the division’s elite. Kabayel is set to return to Germany for the first time in three years, headlining a Goldstar/Queensberry event at the Rudolf Weber-Arena in Oberhausen on January 10, 2026. While his opponent is yet to be confirmed, Tony Yoka has revealed on Instagram that he has signed to face Kabayel in January.
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Dubois, however, has expressed his eagerness to face the German contender. Speaking to DAZN’s Ade Oladipo, he said: “I’m ready to go. I’ll take on Kabayel. I’m ready for him. I’m ready to get back to the top.”
Kabayel responded via Instagram: “I say today let’s go for the fight. I think this is the biggest fight for the boxing fans right now. Let’s do it for the boxing fans. I’m ready for the next challenge.”
The stage appears set for a potential blockbuster clash in the heavyweight division as 2026 approaches.
