Heavyweight sensation Daniel Dubois, fast rising up the rankings, will return to the ring to face Kyotaro Fujimoto on Dec. 21 in the main event of a card that Frank Warren of Queensberry Promotions has dubbed “The Fight Before Christmas” at the Copper Box Arena in London.
Dubois and Fujimoto will meet for a regional title in a bout that will be streamed live in the United States on ESPN+.
“Dynamite” Dubois (13-0, 13 KOs), 22, of England, has already won the British and Commonwealth titles but is having a hard time finding opponents willing to face him. He won the vacant British title by impressive fifth-round knockout of then-unbeaten Nathan Gorman in July in what was supposed to be a stern test but wasn’t. Then Dubois added the vacant Commonwealth title to his collection via first-round destruction of Ebenezer Tetteh on Sept. 27.
“I wanted to defend my British title, but no one would step up to fight me,” Dubois said. “I want to be fighting world champions within the next 12 months, and when the opportunity to fight for the WBC silver title was made available, a belt that Dillian Whyte held until his last fight, I jumped at it. Fujimoto has a good rating and is a great stepping stone on my path to the top.
“He will have his own ambitions, and I know he was rumored before to be considered for a fight with Anthony Joshua, but I will be knocking that ambition out of him on Dec. 21st when I knock him out.”
Fujimoto (21-1, 13KOs), 33, of Japan, will be fighting outside of his home country for the first time in his eight-year pro career and taking on his most prominent opponent.
“This is all about continually increasing Daniel’s experience levels against tough opposition,” Warren said. “He has made huge and rapid strides in a short space of time, and Fujimoto will present the ideal and a legitimate test at this point in time. Daniel cannot afford to underestimate Fujimoto, and I am sure he won’t.
Dubois has boxed four times so far in 2019 and won each bout by knockout inside five rounds.
“It has been a big year for Daniel, and the combined record of his last three opponents stood at 49-1 before coming up against our man and Daniel completed his work in under 10 full rounds of action.”
Warren has scheduled a news conference for Monday to discuss the fight and the undercard in more detail.