Boxing
Former British world champion targeting Oleksandr Usyk trilogy bout - and it's not Tyson Fury or AJ
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Daniel Dubois could be poised to vault past both Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua for a trilogy bout with Oleksandr Usyk after accepting an IBF final eliminator with Frank Sanchez.
The Briton has not fought since July, when he was brutally stopped inside five rounds by the Ukrainian at Wembley Stadium after a build-up that left more questions than answers.
Since then, Dubois has kept a low profile, but now appears as if he could be on the straight path back to a world title shot after agreeing to face Sanchez in a straight shootout.
The hard-hitting Cuban has just one professional loss across his career so far, and has struggled to find an opponent to face him for his final eliminator over the past few months.
Efe Ajagba rejected a rematch with the star, while Moses Itauma passed on the opportunity, with Richard Torrez Jr also a name that had been under consideration for the bout.
Instead, Dubois and his team will now have until October 22 to agree to a deal for a clash with Sanchez, with purse bids otherwise set to be ordered if both camps cannot settle.
With the victor set to become the IBF's mandatory challenger, it would mark a remarkable turnaround for Dubois, who lost the belt in his undisputed world title clash with Usyk.
However, even if he is successful, there will be questions over whether the Ukrainian wishes for a third dance, having beaten the Briton inside the distance on both occasions now.
Talk of a trilogy with Fury or Joshua has continued to persist, with both men pushing Usyk close across their respective encounters so far and offering major box-office potential.
The star already swerved a mandatory challeenger bout from Joseph Parker, who is now set to face fellow heavyweight interim champion Fabio Wardley in London on October 25.
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