Hunts for unified heavyweight title, ‘Tyson Fury next!’

Oleksandr Usyk retains his titles by knocking out Daniel Dubois in nine rounds | DAZN News GB

By Ed Emeanua

Oleksandr Usyk overcame massive opposition from Britain’s Daniel Dubois to keep the WBA, WBO, and IBF heavyweight belts at a capacity filled Tarczynski Arena in Wroclaw, Poland, on Saturday.

The Ukrainian champion stopped the challenger in round nine, but not after picking himself up from the floor following a punch the referee ruled an illegal blow early on.

The titles were the same belts won by Usyk from, and then defended against, former undisputed heavyweight champion of the World Anthony Joshua.

However, Usyk had to first bring under control the huge affront of the opponent to win, including having to rise up from the deck from a punch the referee adjudged a low blow.

The champion dominated the going in the early exchanges having taken complete control over the opposition and by mixing up his intermittent use of bursts of southpaw jabs interlaced with good variations to outscore against Dubois and take the opening rounds.

Oleksandr Usyk vs. Daniel Dubois – Full Fight Highlights

Nonetheless, the bout exploded in the fifth round when Dubois hewed a right into Usyk’s beltline. Usyk toppled to the deck from a blow the referee discounted a chance low blow.

The champion was allowed the full five minutes to recover, although he later emerged from it after the rest period in clear pain. Though rightly denied a knockdown, Dubois returned on resumption of the match with a continued onslaught, by savagely assaulting the champion’s body with a barrage of punches.

The staying power of the champion was seriously questioned while Dubois’ relentless hostility lasted as the Briton continued to unpack massive punches.

It was apparent that Usyk was impaired. Though, in the end he convalesced and hurt Dubois with a broad left hook. Then, towards the very end of the eighth round, succession of high speed punches landed on the top of the challenger’s head, flooring him.

In the next round, Usyk launched a leading right over the top which forced the opponent to take a knee where remained as the referee counted him out.

Usyk took advantage of being the major favorite against Dubois, but his win was not without polemic. The Ukrainian’s grand defense of his WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight titles via a ninth-round knockout of the challenger will always be dwarfed by the referee’s ruling with respect to a likely punch below the belt line.

Dubois’ sent Usyk crashing down to the floor in Round 5 with a punch the referee adjudged to be illegal. Usyk needed the entirety of the five minutes allocated to him to recover. A replay of the incident confirmed a vicious Dubois punch had landed right on the the champion’s belt line.

Debates promptly ensued among both fans and commentators whether Usyk was felled or punched legally. Dubois’ camp was incensed by the referee’s decision, vowing to appeal it, and also wanted to know why a point was not subtracted from their fighter’s total if the blow was indeed a foul.

THIS was declared a low blow 👀#UsykDubois pic.twitter.com/INf7HyGSff

— Boxing on TNT Sports (@boxingontnt) August 26, 2023

“I didn’t think that was a low blow and I’ve been cheated out of victory tonight,” Dubois said after the fight.

“That was a win tonight. But I’ll come again.”

Frank Warren and Don Charles, Dubois’ promoter, and trainer were both in agreement.

“It hit on the waistband. That was not a low blow. How long did he get to recover? A couple of minutes? The governing body will have to look at that and order a rematch. Justice has to be done,” Warren fumed.

Charles wondered aloud: “How is that low?”

Another angle 👀 pic.twitter.com/LqavJjxIEC

— Harry 🤘🏻 (@HarryPicton16) August 26, 2023

Though the British fighter lost the fight, his status was greatly fortified by his performance. Dubois entered the bout as the mandatory challenger for the WBA title, though his punch power was never in question, the challenger had failed in his quest to record even a win against any opponent in the elite class of boxing, having previously been defeated by Joe Joyce when his lanky London rival halted his challenge in their 2020 clash.

On the other hand, Usyk remains one of the most commanding fighters of any weight class. Olympic gold medalist in 2012, the Ukrainian soon emerged an undisputed champion at cruiserweight by winning the World Boxing Super Series, defeating Mairis Briedis and Murat Gassiev to unify all four of the major titles of the weight class.

He moved up to the heavyweight division and has continued on the unbeaten lane enroute to ousting Anthony Joshua and clearly outpointing him again last year in Saudi Arabia. The champion is an iconic figure in his homeland. Usyk versus Joshua 2 was put back so he could return to Ukraine following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

His title defense took place in Poland because of the proximity to Ukraine considering the contemporaneous events. Usyk, ever an advocate for his country, fights to represent his people and craved ecstatic backing from them in the stadium.

He depended on that push from them when Dubois, out of the blues, had him under turbulent waters.

Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois LIVE: Results tonight after controversial low blow and knockout | The Independent

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“I feel good. I’m grateful for my team, my family, my children. I love you. I’m grateful for my country and the Ukrainian army. Thank you so much,” Usyk said afterwards.

“Boxing is a tough sport, but I am great. It’s boxing. I love boxing. I respect my opponent, but its boxing, not ballet. It’s a king’s sport.”

Usyk holds three out of the four major heavyweight belts on offer in world heavyweight boxing today. He wants to covet the fourth title. To do that, he wants to clash with the holder of the WBC belt-Tyson Fury-now.

“I’m ready,” he said. “Next fight, I’m ready to fight Tyson Fury.

“I can’t wait to see my children, I can’t wait to get home. I miss my family. I’ve been in training for ages, I am little bit tired,” he added.

“Now, I’ll go rest, sleep and eat. Drink sparkling water.”