Anthony Joshua snubbed for 'most feared man in heavyweight division' as title hopes left in tatters
Anthony Joshua faces a tricky road back to another title shot
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Martin Bakole is the frontrunner for a shot at Daniel Dubois' IBF heavyweight world title, according to Ben Shalom, positioning him ahead of former champion Anthony Joshua in the race for the belt.
Dubois, who claimed the title with a knockout victory over Joshua at Wembley Stadium last year, is set to defend his crown against Joseph Parker on February 22, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
The path to the championship has become clearer, with Bakole preparing for a crucial IBF final eliminator bout against Efe Ajagba scheduled for May.
Bakole's promoter Shalom has made it clear that his fighter can no longer be overlooked in the heavyweight division.
Anthony Joshua is looking for his next fight after losing to Daniel Dubois
PA"Martin can't be avoided any longer. If he beats Efe Ajaba in May, he will be mandatory challenger to fight for the IBF world title, and we will be looking to enforce that mandatory immediately," Shalom told Sky Sports.
"Martin is the most feared man in the heavyweight division and with good reason."
The promoter feels Bakole should be "front of the queue" for a title shot following a victory over Ajagba, with the mandatory challenge to be enforced straight away.
After the February 22 defence against Parker, Dubois will face a crucial decision regarding his next move.
The IBF rules stipulate that the champion must either pursue a unification bout or face their mandatory challenger.
Martin Bakole has won 10 fights on the bounce
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Frank Warren, Dubois' promoter, has expressed interest in exploring a potential unification clash with Oleksandr Usyk, who holds the WBA, WBC and WBO titles.
Warren believes Dubois could become the undisputed heavyweight champion by the end of the year.
"If he comes through this, and fights Usyk," Warren said of Dubois, "I do think [he will be]."
Joshua's path back to title contention appears more complicated, with Warren emphasising that the former champion must first secure a victory.
"He's got to go and win a fight," Warren told Sky Sports, explaining that the IBF won't sanction Joshua for a title shot immediately after his defeat.
Eddie Hearn, Joshua's promoter, had hoped to position AJ for a shot at the Dubois-Parker winner.
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Ben Shalom feels Martin Bakole deserves a shot ahead of Anthony Joshua
PA"Really at this stage of your career you want the biggest fights and you want to try and become three-time world heavyweight champion," Hearn said.
An alternative route exists for Joshua through the WBC Interim title fight between Zhilei Zhang and Agit Kabayel, also scheduled for February 22.
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