Daniel Dubois wants to be back in the ring this February. Frank Warren is eyeing Agit Kabayel to set up a massive heavyweight unification clash.
Dubois retained his WBO title by stopping Fabio Wardley in two rounds on Saturday at London’s O2 Arena, leaving him ready to pursue another champion without the need for a third fight with Wardley.
“He’ll fight in February, we are going to see what happens,” Warren told talkSPORT.
Warren is keeping a close eye on Kabayel’s November 28 defense against Nelson Hysa in Germany. He reported approximately 43,000 to 44,000 tickets sold for that event.
“Let’s see the outcome because that would be a fantastic unification scrap,” Warren said.
Kabayel offers a different challenge than Wardley. The German works the body with relentless pressure. He aims to drag opponents into deep waters rather than trade quick bombs. Dubois packs enough power to crack him coming forward, so it would get violent immediately.
If Kabayel drags him into rounds five, six, and seven while ripping hooks into his ribs, Dubois will be forced to answer the exact mental questions he has struggled with throughout his career.
The calendar could be tricky, though, to make a Dubois vs. Kabayel unification fight. Going from late November to February leaves barely two months to recover. If Hysa pushes Kabayel hard, that turnaround shrinks fast. Right now Warren is floating an option, not closing a contract.
Filip Hrgovic is also hovering around the picture. The IBF champ sat ringside Saturday night, looking for revenge against the only man who beat him as a pro.
“He wanted a rematch since Daniel holds a win over him,” Warren said.
Dubois holds plenty of leverage while his destruction of Wardley is fresh in everyone’s minds. Snatching another belt cements his status. Taking on Kabayel gives him a fresh face after crushing Wardley back-to-back.
Warren made it clear his fighter is chasing giant paydays, too.
“He wants big fights because he tells me he wants to make huge money,” Warren said.
February stays circled on the calendar. Once Kabayel gets past November, Dubois will know if he has a chance to make this fight happen.
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