Nigerian-born heavyweight boxer, Daniel Dubois is earnestly eyeing recognition as ‘undisputed champion of the world,’ but admits he will first have to overcome his old rival, Fabio Wardley in the rematch of a thrilling fight he won in May.
Sports247 gathered that Dubois, who has a Nigerian mother and father from Granada, declared emphatically that he wants to be ranked high among boxing’s all time great champions and acknowledged that it means unfying all four major categories in the sector.
While fight followers recalled that Wardley took a real beating five months ago and pundits worry a rematch is coming too soon, Dubois is already angling for a second shot at the same opponent in the roped square, ahead of which he boasted he will be a lot better.
That could be an inference to how he fell to the canvas twice before he could overcome the former office worker, but an immediate rematch clause in the fight’s contract means he has to do the double before he can attack the other three champions from across the world.
The four major titles are fragmented – with Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic now with the IBF strap, Germany’s Agit Kabayel holding WBC’s and Russia’s Murat Gassiev has WBA’s, but Dubois, who holds the International Boxing Organisation (WBO) belt, says he wants them all.
Dubois declared: “I applied relentless pressure in the pursuit of the first win. The plan was to chip away at him. I need to be sharper off the mark and take him out earlier this time. I come in as champion and I’m going to show the boxing pedigree that I have.
“We had a good war and battle and it’s respect between fighters – but I can’t wait to do it again. I’ll be ready for it this time from the off. I want to be the last man standing. I want to go down as one of the greats.”
