LAST YEAR, the boxing hype machine dangled a sequence of fights in entrance of followers that included matchups in 2023 amongst Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder, and Oleksandr Usyk. Well-run sports activities give followers the occasions they need when they need them. Too typically, boxing does neither.
It now seems to be as if Fury could have one combat in 2023 and that might be towards Frances Ngannou. Wilder is hoping to combat Joshua in January 2024 which signifies that Deontay’s dance card for 2023 may very well be clean. Joshua’s opponents to date this yr have been Jermaine Franklin and Robert Helenius (each of whom are absent from BoxRec.com’s listing of top-25 heavyweights).
Rounding out the schedule, Usyk entered the ring in Wroclaw, Poland, on August 26 to face Daniel Dubois in what’s going to possible be Oleksandr’s solely outing this yr. It was a less-than-scintillating efficiency with Usyk profitable on a ninth-round stoppage. Afterward, Dubois complained about the officiating. He ought to have blamed himself for the loss.
Usyk (now 21-0 with 14 KOs), dominated the cruiserweight division earlier than transferring to heavyweight 4 years in the past. He struggled at the new weight in victories over Chazz Witherspoon and Derek Chisora earlier than outpointing Anthony Joshua twice to say and retain the WBA, IBF, and WBO titles. Joshua has been in a wierd place these days, so Oleksandr’s heavyweight credentials had been nonetheless a bit suspect. Now 36 years outdated, he’d hoped to face Fury this yr in a megafight that will have introduced generational wealth to each males and unified the heavyweight crown.
“I want the WBC title,” Usyk had proclaimed. “It was captured by the gypsies, some kind of king. Everyone knows that this is a very crazy guy. ‘I’m leaving boxing, I’m coming back.’ He hasn’t retired yet. It’s just a game. Someone says it’s better to not understand what Fury is saying. But I understand everything. I just don’t pay any attention.”
But the backside line was that Fury wouldn’t signal on the dotted line. And Usyk was compelled to decide on between a compulsory WBA title defence towards Dubois or relinquishing the WBA portion of his area. He opted for the former. When requested throughout an interview on TNT Sports if he was combating the incorrect Brit, Oleksandr replied, “It might be. But if I have this Englishman in my way now, then I have to face him.”
Dubois’ credentials as a world title challenger had been – let’s consider – doubtful. He’d customary a 15-0 (14 KOs) report towards restricted opposition when he fought Joe Joyce in 2020 and was compelled to submit in spherical 10 as a consequence of a fractured eye socket. After rebounding with victories over journeymen Bogdan Dinu and Joe Cusumano, he stopped Trevor Bryan to say the bogus World Boxing Association “regular” world heavyweight title. Late final yr, he survived a torn knee ligament and three first-round knockdowns towards unheralded Kevin Lerena to attain a questionable third-round stoppage and retain his belt.
Team Dubois talked an excellent sport earlier than combating Usyk. Daniel promised a search and destroy mission keyed to “opening up on him, being aggressive, just unleashing it on him. Keep landing on his little head, bang him up.”
Frank Warren (Dubois’ promoter) talked technique and declared, “Daniel can’t do what Joshua did [against Usyk], which was show too much respect and getting out-jabbed and outboxed by a smaller guy. As soon as that bell goes, he’s gotta get in there and he’s gotta impose himself and use all his physical attributes. It’s hard to picture a scenario where Usyk can keep Daniel at bay for three minutes of every round.”
Meanwhile, Don Charles (who was coaching Dubois for the first time) crossed into silliness when he declared, “Dubois’ power is unmeasurable. The minute Daniel corners him, the fight is over.”
In a nod to Usyk’s Ukrainian nationality, Usyk-Dubois was contested in Poland, the place tens of 1000’s of Ukrainian refugees have relocated since Vladimir Putin’s brutal warfare of aggression towards their nation started. A video message from Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy was proven on an enormous display screen in the stadium minutes earlier than the bout started.
Thinking is totally different from realizing. Dubois might need gone into the combat considering he may win. Usyk (an 8/1 betting favourite) knew he may. My round-by-round notes learn as follows:
Round 1 – A sense out stanza. Nothing a lot occurring. Dubois holding his proper hand in mothballs. Slight edge to Usyk.
Round 2 – Two good straight lefts from Usyk . . . Dubois not transferring ahead aggressively like he and his crew stated he would.
Round 3 – A gradual t
actical combat . . . Rain is perhaps getting onto the ring canvas.
Round 4 – Usyk seems to be beatable however Dubois doesn’t appear like the man for the job.
Round 5 – Usyk dropped by an obvious low blow. Referee Luis Pabon offers him a number of minutes to get better.
Round 6 – Usyk doesn’t have elite heavyweight energy. But Dubois isn’t pressuring him and interesting when he has the probability.
Round 7 – Usyk’s finest spherical . . . Dubois not combating the manner a person who needs to be heavyweight champion of the world ought to combat.
Round 8 – Usyk drops Dubois close to the finish of the spherical with a proper jab adopted by some grazing punches.
Round 9 – Usyk drops Dubois once more with a proper jab. Dubois gradual to rise up. KO 9 . . . The rely regarded a bit fast. Or possibly Pabon stopped it as a result of Dubois regarded like he didn’t wish to combat anymore. Daniel may have gotten up ahead of he did and didn’t complain about the stoppage.
Daniel Dubois is knocked down (Gabriel Kuchta/Getty Images)
After the combat, Dubois criticised Pabon’s name of a low blow in spherical 5 and lamented, “I’ve been cheated out of victory tonight.” Frank Warren, as one would count on of Daniel’s promoter, was in accord.
For the report; I’ve watched the physique shot that felled Usyk a number of instances, and I believe it was low. Not intentional, not flagrant, however low. The blow was launched from under Usyk’s waist into an space simply beneath his beltline in a manner that appeared to jam his protecting cup into his testicles. And the manner Oleksandr reacted was in step with a low blow, not the delayed response that one sees from a crippling authorized physique shot. He used just below 4 of the 5 minutes that he was given to get better and was entitled to take action.
I additionally assume that, when somebody turns into an expert fighter, he (or she) is held to a uniquely excessive customary, notably at the championship degree, and that Dubois fell in need of that customary in his unwillingness to stroll by means of fireplace in an effort to win the combat.
Asked afterward to price Dubois’ energy, Usyk stated merely, “No. Only in my balls.”
Thomas Hauser’s e mail handle is [email protected]. His most up-to-date ebook – The Universal Sport: Two Years Inside Boxing – was simply printed by the University of Arkansas Press. In 2019, Hauser was chosen for boxing’s highest honor – induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
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