A world heavyweight title fight will finally take place in 2023 when champion Oleksandr Usyk takes on Britain's Daniel Dubois in Poland next month, it has been announced.
Ukrainian Usyk, 36, will put all his WBA (Super), IBF and WBO titles on the line against mandatory WBA challenger Dubois, 26, at the Tarczynski Arena in Wroclaw on 26 August.
Former undisputed cruiserweight champion Usyk snatched the titles off Anthony Joshua in London in September 2021 and won the rematch in August last year in Saudi Arabia.
Dubois will be Usyk's second defence of his world heavyweight belts with the match-up announced on Twitter by Frank Warren's Queensbury Promotions.
Usyk, whose scheduled showdown with WBC champion Tyson Fury at Wembley in April fell through due to contractual disputes, said simply on Instagram: "See you 26 August".
The heavyweight division has been left in farce by a number of failed attempts to make fights amid a Saudi Arabian-backed proposal for a tournament late in the year.
Londoner Dubois, nicknamed 'Dynamite', has won 19 of his 20 fights since turning professional in 2017, 18 by knockout, with one defeat, against fellow British heavyweight Joe Joyce in 2020.
Dubois suffered a fractured orbital bone and nerve damage to his left eye when stopped in the 10th round by Joyce, but has beaten four opponents since.
In his latest triumph, on the undercard of Fury's third fight against Derek Chisora at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last September, Dubois recovered from three first-round knockdowns to defeat South Africa's Kevin Lerena.
Meanwhile, Anthony Joshua's rematch with Dillian Whyte has been announced for 12 August at The O2 in London.
After discussions over taking on Tyson Fury broke down, former world champion Joshua had been linked with a fight against Deontay Wilder in Saudi Arabia.
Joshua, though, will now face off against Whyte again, having defeated his rival in a British and Commonwealth title clash in December 2015
Joshua is continuing to build up his record again, having beaten Jermaine Franklin on points in April after suffering back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, the unified champion who is set to face Britain's Daniel Dubois in Poland next month.
"I've been clear that my plan is to be active this year," said Joshua. "12 August is the date, I'll be ready to fight. I look forward to dealing with business."
Whyte, 35, recovered from his sixth-round loss against WBC champion Fury at Wembley during April 2022 with his own victory over Franklin last November.
Promoter Eddie Hearn said: "At times it may have looked like a game of bluff, but now we are set and with everything that's on the line this is an absolute must win for both.
"Just like the first time at The O2, get ready for fireworks 12 August and a huge night of boxing."
