Frank Warren reveals Derek Chisora is the mandatory challenger for Daniel Dubois' IBF heavyweight title

Queensberry promoter Frank Warren has announced that Derek Chisora has been made the mandatory challenger for a crack at stable mate Daniel Dubois' IBF heavyweight world title.

The British star, who is expected to bow out of competitive action in 2025, floored Otto Wallin twice en-route to a superb victory over the giant Swede in his final UK-based showdown earlier this year.

That victory opened the door to a potential mega fight for the Londoner, with the 41-year-old asking fight fans to choose between Oleksandr Usyk, Anthony Joshua and Dubois as his final opponent just moments after his triumph last month.

A rematch with Usyk would appear to be the favoured choice for Chisora, although Warren's announcement this week that his fighter has been made mandatory for Dubois' belt could significantly alter his thinking.

Chisora has made no secret of the fact that he wants his 50th, and likely final, professional bout to be a world title fight, and it seems as though the door could be cracking ajar for an all-British heavyweight showdown in Saudi Arabia this summer.

"Derek (Chisora) is now mandatory," Warren confirmed to Sky Sports this week.

"He earned that position his last fight and everyone knew that fight was a world title eliminator, so he is now mandatory to our man, 'Dangerous' Daniel Dubois, so that's the position he's in."

The chances of that fight taking place this summer remain in the balance however, given Dubois' preference for an undisputed affair with Oleksandr Usyk.

The Ukrainian, who has himself revealed his retirement plans recently, is also prioritising a second undisputed reign, having beaten Tyson Fury for all-four officially recognised belts last year.

His decision to vacate the IBF strap, after opting against a clash with mandatory challenger Filip Hrgovic, paved the way for Dubois to beat the previously unbeaten Croatian for the 'interim' title last June, before being upgraded to full champion just days after Usyk relinquished his crown.

Dubois subsequently stopped two-time blue-riband division ruler Anthony Joshua in destructive fashion in his first world title defence, and immediately called for a rematch with Usyk, for undisputed glory, after their first fight ended in controversial fashion in August 2023.

Regardless of the outcome of Warren's bid to secure a world title fight for Chisora however, the Queensberry promoter is adamant that he, together with the fighter's former associate Eddie Hearn, will deliver on their promise of a money-spinning final showdown for the likeable, and, at times, controversial, Londoner.

"Derek wants a big fight to go out on, I think he's made that pretty clear, and to be fair, it's exactly what he has earned and what he deserves," Warren added.

"Eddie [Hearn] and I have had a couple of chats today and in due course will let people know our views on what we'll do.

"We both have been involved in his career, he started off with me, been with me a long time, was with me for the last few fights.

"We want to deliver that 50th fight for him, and I want to work something between us that we both walk him out."

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Mark Mothershaw

• Queensberry
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