Anthony Joshua will face Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium on September 21 in his effort to become a three-time heavyweight world champion.

Anthony Joshua will seek to become a three-time heavyweight world champion when he faces Daniel Dubois on September 21 at Wembley Stadium.

Joshua and Dubois will headline at the national stadium, with the IBF title on the line after Oleksandr Usyk relinquished it following his victory over Tyson Fury last month. Usyk is committed to a second fight with Fury and hence was unable to fulfill his mandatory commitments and face Dubois.

Dubois became interim champion with a stoppage victory over Filip Hrgovic earlier this month and has now been promoted to full champion following Usyk’s decision, although he will start as the underdog against Joshua, who has won his last four fights following Usyk’s back-to-back defeats. He defeated Jermain Franklin, Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin, and Francis Ngannou to regain world title contention.

“I’m not silly; I know the game,” Joshua added. “We’re in the wild; we’re a pack of lions, and I’ve had to keep an eye on Daniel and the other heavyweights. I would have been prepared to fight in September regardless of who was in his seat. The goal is to complete a successful training camp, do what I need to do, and then perform on the night. “The shiny stuff comes later.”

Joshua will now seek to become a three-time world champion when he faces fellow Briton Dubois in the national stadium later this year. He was originally declared ruler in 2016 after defeating Charles Martin, but he lost his belts three years later to Andy Ruiz Jr., a setback he avenged the following year.

“I’m aiming to fight the best and beat the best,” Dubois added. “AJ has been the king for a long time and on the night I need to become the king-slayer. That’s the goal and mission I have. I’m ready to let my fists do the talking, 100 percent ready to go. I’m going to camp focused and I’m going to train like a beast. Bring it on.”

Joshua lost his belts again in 2021, this time to Usyk in London, and the Ukrainian backed up his victory with a win in the rematch a year later. Dubois, meantime, has rebuilt his career impressively since losing to rival Joe Joyce in 2020, despite accusations that he “quit” the grudge bout.

He won his next four fights before being defeated by Usyk in the ninth round in Poland last year. Dubois rebounded against Jarrell Miller before defeating Filip Hrgovic in Saudi Arabia earlier this month to earn the interim IBF champion.