Oleksandr Usyk KO5 Daniel Dubois ... Oleksandr Usyk retained the world heavyweight championsip when he defeated Daniel Dubois on Saturday at Wembley Stadium in London. The Ukrainian legend looked sensational, as he knocked out Dubois at the
1:52 mark of the fifth round to reclaim the IBF title and re-unify it with the three other heavyweight titles he already owned. Usyk previously achieved undisputed glory at cruiserweight and heavyweight but relinquished the IBF heavyweight title last year. DAZN News had the fight scored 40-36 for Usyk at the time of the stoppage. The win means the undefeated Usyk now has two victories over each of his major rivals: Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and now Dubois and that his ranking among the pantheon of all-time heavyweight greats is ascending.
Now 30-0 including the World Series of Boxing, Usyk controlled the opening four rounds with his precision striking and footwork. It looked to be a matter of time before he put Dubois away. In the fifth round, Usyk and Dubois were battling in the corner when the 38-year-old unloaded a right hand over the top to send Dubois down to the canvas. Dubois made it back to his feet. But the end was near as Dubois looked out of it with a glazed look in his eyes. Usyk closed the show by looping a scintillating left hook to the head to drop Dubois for the second time. Dubois (22-3, 21 KOs) got to a knee. The referee kept counting, and the 27-year-old was unable to make it back to his feet. When the fight got waved off, Usyk dropped to his knees in jubilation.
“Thirty-eight is a young guy, remember,” Usyk told DAZN’s Ade Oladepo in his postfight interview.
What is Usyk going to do next? “Nothing. Enough. Next, I don’t know," Usyk said stoically. "Derek (Chisora) here. I don’t know. I want to go home to my family. To my wife. My children. I want to rest. But maybe two-three months. I want to rest."
There are plenty of guys who want the chance to be the one to give Usyk his first career defeat. There's a possible trilogy with Tyson Fury or a fresh contender in Joseph Parker. Usyk revealed his list, but he also made one thing clear.
"Maybe Tyson Fury," Usyk said while looking at the crowd. "Maybe we have three options: Derek Chisora, and Anthony Joshua, maybe Joseph Parker. Listen, now I cannot say because I want to (go) home."
