Daniel Dubois is being evaluated by a doctor and could be forced to pull out of this Saturday’s heavyweight clash with Joseph Parker.
IBF heavyweight champion Dubois has been struck down by an illness only two days before he is due to take to the ring in Saudi Arabia. And organisers are already scrambling to put together a list of replacements in case the 27-year-old has to withdraw.
Lawrence Okolie, David Adeleye and Mourad Aliev are all being considered for a last-minute call-up, according to Ring Magazine.
London-born Okolie, 32, boasts a professional boxing record of 21 wins and one defeat. He was in the ring as recently as December, but he has not taken part in a fight that has gone beyond one round since May 2023.
Adeleye, who also hails from London, last fought on the same card as Okolie, taking the English heavyweight title from Solomon Dacres at Wembley Arena. He has only one defeat on his record, which came against Fabio Wardley in 2023.
Aliev is an unknown quantity by comparison. The 29-year-old Frenchman, who stands a towering 6ft 7in tall, only turned professional in 2021 but he boasts a perfect record of 13 wins, no draws and no defeats.
Dubois pulling out would be a major blow to organisers of what is being billed as one of the best fight cards in recent memory. The IBF champ’s heavyweight bout against Parker is slated as the co-main event alongside Artur Berbetiev’s rematch with Dmitry Bivol.
Earlier in the night, Shakur Stevenson will do battle with Josh Padley for the WBC lightweight title, and Carlos Adames takes on Hamzah Sheeraz for the WBC middleweight title. Zhilei Zhang, Joshua Buatsi and Callum Smith are among the other fighters in action.
Dubois’ stock is at an all-time high following his knockout win over Anthony Joshua in September. The Brit is on a three-fight winning streak after losing to Oleksandr Usyk in August 2023, and would cement his status as a rightful belt-holder with a win over Parker.
New Zealander Parker is on a five-fight winning streak of his own, and he has his sights set on becoming a two-time world heavyweight champion. The 33-year-old boasts victories over Derek Chisora, Deontay Wilder and Zhang on an impressive boxing CV.
