Daniel Dubois v Joseph Parker & Artur Beterbiev v Dmitry Bivol top Saudi Februaru card
Dubois, 27, made a spectacular first defence of his IBF belt by beating Anthony Joshua in September.
Contemporary Zealand’s Parker, 32, held the WBO title between 2016 and 2018 sooner than shedding it to Joshua.
Also on the card in Riyadh, Artur Beterbiev will defend his undisputed gentle-heavyweight crown in a rematch with fellow Russian Dmitry Bivol.
Undefeated Londoner Hamzah Sheeraz will peril for his maiden world title towards WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames, while British gentle-heavyweights Joshua Buatsi and Callum Smith will meet for Buatsi’s WBO interval in-between title.
Shakur Stevenson will attach his WBC gentle-weight belt on the line towards Floyd Schofield and Zhilei Zhang faces Agit Kabayel for the interval in-between WBC heavyweight title to total the blockbuster card.
Dubois captured the interval in-between title with a formidable regain over Filip Hrgovic last 365 days and used to be elevated to world champion when Oleksandr Usyk vacated the belt.
The Londoner legitimised himself as an global champion when he upset the percentages by dismantling two-time champion Joshua interior 5 rounds at Wembley Stadium.
Parker earns a title shot after a four-struggle winning trip, including impressive wins over Deontay Wilder and Zhang in his previous two fights.
In October, Beterbiev defeated Bivol by majority choice to turn into the first undisputed gentle-heavyweight champion since 2002.
Many ringside observers felt Bivol, who suffered a first-rate profession defeat, would maybe well presumably additionally light secure been awarded the selection.
Dilapidated mountainous-middleweight world champion Smith used to be stopped by Beterbiev for the unified gentle-heavyweight titles in January nonetheless returned to winning systems towards Carlos Galvan on Saturday to win a shot towards the undefeated Buatsi, who claimed the WBO interval in-between title on the Joshua-Dubois undercard.
Ilford-born Sheeraz, 25, has won all 21 decent bouts with 17 stoppages. He withdrew from an ordered struggle towards WBO champion Janibek Alimkhanuly to take care of discontinuance on Dominican Adames, who has lost as soon as in 25 bouts.
BBC Sport’s Kal Sajad
Dubois is light utilizing the excessive of his destructive regain over Joshua. He has turn into a assured, courageous puncher – nothing like the fighter who lost to Joe Joyce in 2020 – and will love his chances to provide Parker all thru the distance.
If he does that, he sets up a lucrative rematch with Joshua or an undisputed contest towards the winner of December’s bout between fellow champion Usyk and Tyson Fury.
However abolish no mistake, Dubois is up towards a dwell opponent. Parker has been reinvigorated by his link-up with coach Andy Lee and is fully deserving of one other crack at world honours.
Saudi Arabia’s ever-rising affect on boxing is all over but again apparent with a stacked card, including a 2nd bout between two of presumably the most efficient pound-for-pound stars in Beterbiev and Bivol.
The occasion usually is a breakout night time for Sheeraz, who has the general instruments to turn into a world boxing big title. After a low-key newbie profession, he realized his commerce on the decent scene and relocated to the United States.
He’s an notify and respectful character who has the different to abolish all that onerous work and sacrifice repay.