There’s no question that the Saudi Arabia boxing event delivered some incredible fights. Fans witnessed high-level boxing, exciting performances, and big-name fighters stepping into the ring.
But while the action inside the ring lived up to expectations, what happened behind the scenes has raised some serious questions.
Two fighters, Daniel Dubois and Floyd Schofield, pulled out during fight week. Dubois was set to defend his IBF heavyweight title against Joseph Parker, but a viral infection ruled him out. Meanwhile, Schofield was forced to withdraw due to injury, leaving Shakur Stevenson with a late-replacement opponent.
Fight week drama isn’t unusual in boxing, but two withdrawals in the same event—one due to illness and another due to injury—is highly rare. It makes you wonder:
- Was this just a case of bad luck, or were there deeper issues at play?
- Did the location, travel, or training conditions contribute to these problems?
- Could anything have been done to prevent these withdrawals?
The fights may have been great, but the behind-the-scenes chaos left many unanswered questions. Let’s break it all down.
Daniel Dubois: A Title Fight Lost to Illness
When Daniel Dubois was ruled out of his scheduled fight against Joseph Parker, it was a huge blow to the event. This wasn’t just another fight—it was a world title defence, with major implications for the heavyweight division.
Promoter Frank Warren revealed that Dubois had been “wiped out” by a viral infection and was too sick to compete. His medical team advised against fighting, and the decision was made to withdraw him from the event. (TalkSport)
Could Dubois Have Been Protected from Illness?
Boxing is a brutal sport, and fighters push their bodies to the absolute limit during training camps. However, the risk of illness during fight week is something that needs serious attention.
- Fighters travel across the world to compete, often in unfamiliar environments with different food, water, and weather conditions.
- Training camps are intense, and extreme physical exertion can weaken the immune system, making fighters more vulnerable to illness.
- Fight week involves constant media obligations, travel, and last-minute weight cuts, all of which add stress to a fighter’s body.
If Dubois’ viral infection was just bad luck, then there’s not much that could have been done. But if it was preventable, then boxing promoters and teams need to look at better ways to protect fighters leading up to big fights.
Read more about how fight preparation affects a boxer’s health on The Ring Magazine
What’s Next for Dubois?
Now that Dubois has missed this fight, what comes next?
- Will he get his rescheduled fight against Joseph Parker? Many believe the IBF will push for it.
- Could we see Parker vs. Joshua 2 instead? Parker looked impressive, and a rematch with Anthony Joshua could be a huge fight.
- Will Dubois get a different opponent first? If Parker moves on, Dubois may have to rebuild momentum with another fight.
Either way, Dubois needs to get healthy and back in the ring ASAP.
Check out the latest heavyweight rankings on Sky Sports
Shakur Stevenson: A Fight to Forget
While Shakur Stevenson still stepped into the ring, his performance was far from impressive.
Originally scheduled to face Floyd Schofield, Stevenson had to adjust when Josh Padley stepped in as a last-minute replacement. The expectation was that Stevenson, a world-class fighter, would easily handle a late-replacement opponent.
Instead, what we saw was a disappointing and uninspired performance.
Why Was Stevenson’s Performance So Underwhelming?
Let’s put it into perspective—Josh Padley is a part-time electrician. Just days before fight week, he was installing solar panels, not training for a world title fight. Yet Stevenson failed to dominate or put on the kind of performance fans expected.
- There was no urgency. Stevenson played it safe rather than going for a knockout.
- He lacked aggression. Against an opponent who had almost no time to prepare, Stevenson should have been far more dominant.
- Fans were left frustrated. Winning is one thing, but winning in style is what separates elite fighters from the rest.
Simply put, this was not the kind of performance that makes a statement.
What’s Next for Stevenson?
While Stevenson remains a top name in the lightweight division, this fight did nothing to boost his reputation.
- Will he take on a bigger name next to redeem himself?
- Will fans start questioning whether he has the killer instinct to be a true superstar?
Right now, Stevenson needs to prove he’s still at the top level.
Read more about Stevenson’s next potential fights on ESPN
Lessons from This Fight Week: What Needs to Change?
Two major fighter withdrawals in one week can’t just be ignored. While injuries happen, illnesses like Dubois’ raise bigger concerns about fighter safety.
1. Health & Travel Precautions for Fighters
- Should stricter health checks be in place before fight week?
- Are teams doing enough to ensure fighters are staying healthy?
- Should fighters be isolated from unnecessary exposure to potential illness?
2. The Impact of Last-Minute Opponent Changes
- How do late-replacements affect a fighter’s mentality and performance?
- Are promoters doing enough to secure backup options for major fights?
- Should there be emergency measures in place for when main event fighters pull out?
While boxing will never be predictable, it’s clear that something needs to change to prevent situations like this from happening so often.
Read more about fighter health concerns on BBC Sport
Final Thoughts: An Amazing Event with Serious Questions
There’s no denying that the Saudi Arabia boxing event delivered great fights. Fans saw fantastic performances from some of the sport’s best fighters.
But what happened behind the scenes? That’s a different story.
- Two major withdrawals in one week is highly unusual.
- Dubois’ illness raises concerns about fighter safety during fight week.
- Stevenson’s lacklustre performance was frustrating to watch, considering his opponent was installing solar panels just days earlier.
Moving forward, boxing needs to address how to protect fighters during fight week while ensuring fans still get the matchups they paid for.
What Do You Think?
There’s plenty to discuss after this event, and I want to hear from you:
- Was Dubois’ withdrawal just bad luck, or should boxing promotions do more to prevent fight week illnesses?
- Did Stevenson’s performance damage his reputation, or was it just a one-off bad night?
- Who should be next for Parker, Joshua, and Dubois?
Let’s talk about it—drop a comment, share this post, and check out more boxing news at CMBoxing.co.uk!