Daniel Dubois was set to face a boxing icon looking to break George Foreman’s record before Joseph Parker emerged as a potential opponent.
The 27-year-old has targeted a return on February 22, featuring on a stacked Riyadh Season card following his stunning fifth-round demolition over Anthony Joshua in September.
At first, it appeared as though the pair would collide in an immediate rematch, until Joshua, needing more time to recover, ruled himself out of the contest.
Instead, it has been widely rumored that Daniel Dubois will defend his IBF title in a compelling dustup against former heavyweight champion Parker.
- Read More [Daniel Dubois must face heavyweight knockout artist after potential Joseph Parker showdown]
Daniel Dubois was in talks to defend his IBF title against Wladimir Klitschko
Over the past few weeks, boxing fans have collectively speculated on who will be the heavyweight contender to take on Dubois in the new year.
And yet, one fighter who most certainly never entered the discussion is Wladimir Klitschko, a former long-reigning heavyweight king.
According to veteran journalist Jeff Powell at the MailOnline, though, the 48-year-old was nonetheless in the mix to lock horns with Dubois on his upcoming date.
Klitschko has not entered the ring since his 11th-round stoppage defeat to Joshua back in 2017, just under two years after losing his titles in a stunning upset against Tyson Fury.
But still, Dr Steelhammer has seemingly been keeping himself in tremendous shape, albeit without the same level of fighting activity he was once used to.
And so, it has come as a surprise that Klitschko, after amassing 18 title defences during his near 10-year reign, had considered breaking Foreman’s record by attempting to become the oldest heavyweight champion of all time.
Wladimir Klitschko was ruled out following Mike Tyson’s controversial clash with Jake Paul
Mike Tyson, a former heavyweight champion who is 10 years Klitschko’s senior, returned to the ring earlier this month to square off against YouTube star Jake Paul.
Of course, their showdown on Netflix was a booming success when it came to the numbers but, when considering Tyson’s passive performance, it left many fans scratching their heads.
And so, after witnessing a shadow of the once formidable Iron Mike, it appears that the Riyadh Season event organizers came to their senses, recognizing that Klitschko’s return against Dubois may not be such a good idea.