November 28th 2024.
Legendary boxer Wladimir Klitschko recently had discussions about making a comeback and stepping into the ring once again to fight heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois. However, those negotiations have now been called off.
Klitschko, who retired in 2017 after a memorable match against Anthony Joshua, was interested in facing Dubois in Saudi Arabia in February. The Ukrainian, along with his brother Vitali, held multiple world titles between 2000 and 2015 and is widely considered one of the greatest boxers of all time. In fact, he still holds the record for the longest reigning champion in the heavyweight division with an impressive 4,382 days.
Despite being out of the sport for eight years, Klitschko was in top shape and seriously considering a return to the ring. However, according to reports, the promoters of the potential fight were concerned about the backlash that followed Jake Paul's recent victory over Mike Tyson. At 58 years old, Tyson made a comeback after 19 years of retirement and was defeated by the much younger Paul in a lackluster eight-round match.
While Klitschko is ten years younger than Tyson and still in excellent physical condition, the promoters did not want to take any risks and potentially face a similar situation. It is also reported that the IBF, the sanctioning body for the heavyweight division, would have reservations about approving the fight as a voluntary title defense.
Klitschko had previously hinted at the possibility of returning to the ring in order to break the record for the oldest heavyweight champion in history, currently held by George Foreman. In 1994, at the age of 46, Foreman came out of retirement and defeated Michael Moorer to become world champion, 20 years after his first title reign.
Meanwhile, Dubois, who defended his IBF title in September by knocking out Anthony Joshua, was set to have a rematch with Joshua in February. However, due to injuries, Joshua's return to the ring has been delayed, and the rematch plans have been put on hold. Dubois, however, will still defend his title in Saudi Arabia in February, on a card that may also feature a highly anticipated rematch for the undisputed light-heavyweight title between Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev.
There is also speculation that Joseph Parker, who has been on a winning streak with impressive victories over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang, could potentially be a contender to fight Dubois. The heavyweight division continues to be full of excitement and anticipation, and fans eagerly await the upcoming matches in February.
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