Britain’s Daniel Dubois won the interim IBF heavyweight title with a brilliant eighth-round stoppage of Filip Hrgovic to set up a potential bout with Anthony Joshua in September. In a real slugfest in Saudi Arabia, Hrgovic, cut above both eyes, was inspected by the ringside doctor who advised the referee to halt the contest.
Dubois sealed a team victory for Frank Warren’s Queensberry in the five versus five team event against Matchroom. “I’ve heard the next opponent will be AJ, so bring it on,” Dubois said, as compatriot Joshua watched on from ringside. The 26-year-old is the mandatory challenger for Oleksandr Usyk’s world title and will be upgraded to world champion status if the Ukrainian is ordered to vacate his IBF belt before a scheduled rematch with Tyson Fury in December.
In the main event in Riyadh, former heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder suffered a possible career-ending fifth-round stoppage loss to Zhilei Zhang. The American, once considered the most ferocious puncher in the division, looked a shadow of himself after beating the count but deemed in no fit state to continue.
Wilder was representing Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom, who lost 10-0 in the unprecedented team event against rival Warren.
