A pair of high-profile boxing rematches — Daniel Dubois vs. Anthony Joshua and Matchroom vs. Queensberry – are no longer likely for Saudi Arabia’s first “Riyadh Season” card of 2025 on February 22.
Dubois stunned the sports world when he dropped Joshua four times en route to a fifth-round knockout at Wembley Stadium in September to successfully defend his IBF world heavyweight title. An immediate rematch was expected, but Dubois’ promoter Frank Warren confirmed to iFL TV On Monday, barring a spectacular turnaround, the British would no longer share the ring at the start of 2025.
“Unless (Joshua) comes back to us in the next 48 hours and tells us it’s gone, yes.” Warren responded when asked if the Dubois vs. Joshua rematch was “completely dead in the water for February.”
“I was told that (Joshua) had – or was having – an injury, so if he has an injury he can’t fight.”
Dubois will still defend his IBF championship at the Feb. 22 show in Riyadh against a different opponent. “There are some opportunities,” Warren said. “A pretty interesting question came up late last week, and we’re looking at it and thinking about it, and we’ll make a decision fairly soon.”
Warren represents at least two other fighters in the heavyweight division who would represent compelling opponents for Dubois: Zhilei Zhang and Joseph Parker.
Queensberry also went 10-0 against Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom when rival promotional companies, now both aligned with DAZNpitted five of their boxers against each other in June. A rematch was scheduled for February 22, but that won’t happen either.
“It’s not going to be a 5-on-5,” Warren said of the Riyadh map. “It’s going to get pushed back. But it’s going to be a great card.”
Warren revealed Monday to talkSPORT’s Michael Benson that his middleweight opponent, Hamzah Sheeraz, will fight for a version of the middleweight world title at the February 22 event.
Sheeraz is the mandatory challenger to unified champion Janibek Alimkhanuly with a purse bid looming on November 4, although the camps requested a seven-day extension during the competition. WBO Convention last week. The British middleweight is also the No. 1 contender for WBC king Carlos Adames, and he is ranked No. 6 for WBA titlist Erislandy Lara. Any of these fights could be possible on February 22.
In October, Chris Eubank Jr. said “The Ariel Helwani Show” by Uncrowned that his long-awaited grudge match with Conor Benn could “absolutely” land at the February 22 event. “I would definitely say it’s a target date,” Eubank Jr. said. “The cut will be healed by next month, so after that I’m good to go.”
However, Benn’s provisional suspension with UK Anti-Doping poses a significant obstacle to a second generation clash between Eubank and Benn, and the verdict has yet to be announced at the hearing reportedly held in late October regarding the suspension of Benn. two failed drug tests.
Shakur Stevenson recently said on social networks that he will return to the ring in February. The three-division champion has signed with Matchroom and is expected to defend his WBC lightweight title at the February 22 “Riyadh Season” card against mandatory challenger William Zepeda, although Zepeda must first overtake Tevin Farmer for the interim title WBC in November. 16.
Jaron “Boots” Ennis and Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez defend their world titles in a dream doubleheader in Philadelphia this Saturday, and according to Boxing sceneconversations have been had to potentially put them on the same card again on February 22 if they emerge victorious on Saturday. An Ennis vs. Vergil Ortiz Jr. fight has reportedly been discussed among the fighter’s top representatives.
