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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. Effectively-run sports activities give followers the occasions they need when they need them. Too typically, boxing does neither.
It now appears as if Fury could have one battle in 2023 and that shall be in opposition to Francis Ngannou. Wilder is hoping to battle Joshua in January 2024 which implies that Deontay’s dance card for 2023 might 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 is going to seemingly be Oleksandr’s solely outing this yr. It was a less-than-scintillating efficiency with Usyk successful on a ninth-round stoppage. Afterward, Dubois complained concerning the officiating. He ought to have blamed himself for the loss.
Usyk (now 21-0 with 14 KOs), dominated the cruiserweight division earlier than shifting to heavyweight 4 years in the past. He struggled on the new weight in victories over Chazz Witherspoon and Derek Chisora earlier than outpointing Anthony Joshua twice to assert and retain the WBA, IBF, and WBO titles. Joshua has been in an odd place currently, so Oleksandr’s heavyweight credentials had been nonetheless a bit suspect. Now 36 years previous, 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 need the WBC title,” Usyk had proclaimed. “It was captured by the gypsies, some sort of king. Everybody is aware of that it is a very loopy man. ‘I’m leaving boxing, I’m coming again.’ He hasn’t retired but. It’s only a recreation. Somebody says it’s higher to not perceive what Fury is saying. However I perceive the whole lot. I simply don’t pay any consideration.”
However 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 in opposition to Dubois or relinquishing the WBA portion of his area. He opted for the previous. When requested throughout an interview on TNT Sports activities if he was combating the mistaken Brit, Oleksandr replied, “It is likely to be. But when I’ve this Englishman in my approach now, then I’ve to face him.”
Dubois’ credentials as a world title challenger had been – shall we embrace – doubtful. He’d long-established a 15-0 (14 KOs) document in opposition to 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 assert the bogus World Boxing Affiliation “common” world heavyweight title. Late final yr, he survived a torn knee ligament and three first-round knockdowns in opposition to unheralded Kevin Lerena to attain a questionable third-round stoppage and retain his belt.
Group Dubois talked a very good recreation earlier than combating Usyk. Daniel promised a search and destroy mission keyed to “opening up on him, being aggressive, simply unleashing it on him. Maintain touchdown 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 present an excessive amount of respect and getting out-jabbed and outboxed by a smaller man. As quickly as that bell goes, he’s gotta get in there and he’s gotta impose himself and use all his bodily attributes. It’s onerous to image a situation the place Usyk can hold Daniel at bay for 3 minutes of each spherical.”
In the meantime, Don Charles (who was coaching Dubois for the primary time) crossed into silliness when he declared, “Dubois’ energy is unmeasurable. The minute Daniel corners him, the battle is over.”
In a nod to Usyk’s Ukrainian nationality, Usyk-Dubois was contested in Poland, the place tens of hundreds of Ukrainian refugees have relocated since Vladimir Putin’s brutal battle of aggression in opposition to their nation started. A video message from Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy was proven on a large display screen within the stadium minutes earlier than the bout started.
Pondering is totally different from figuring out. Dubois might need gone into the battle pondering he may win. Usyk (an 8/1 betting favourite) knew he may. My round-by-round notes learn as follows:
Spherical 1 – A sense out stanza. Nothing a lot occurring. Dubois maintaining his proper hand in mothballs. Slight edge to Usyk.
Spherical 2 – Two good straight lefts from Usyk . . . Dubois not shifting ahead aggressively like he and his crew stated he would.
Spherical 3 – A sluggish tactical battle . . . Rain is likely to be getting onto the ring canvas.
Spherical 4 – Usyk appears beatable however Dubois doesn’t appear to be the person for the job.
Spherical 5 – Usyk dropped by an obvious low blow. Referee Luis Pabon offers him a number of minutes to get well.
Spherical 6 – Usyk doesn’t have elite heavyweight energy. However Dubois isn’t pressuring him and interesting when he has the prospect.
Spherical 7 – Usyk’s greatest spherical . . . Dubois not combating the way in which a person who desires to be heavyweight champion of the world ought to battle.
Spherical 8 – Usyk drops Dubois close to the top of the spherical with a proper jab adopted by some grazing punches.
Spherical 9 – Usyk drops Dubois once more with a proper jab. Dubois sluggish to stand up. KO 9 . . . The rely appeared a bit fast. Or possibly Pabon stopped it as a result of Dubois appeared like he didn’t wish to battle anymore. Daniel may have gotten up earlier than he did and didn’t complain concerning the stoppage.
Daniel Dubois is knocked down (Gabriel Kuchta/Getty Photos)
After the battle, 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 document; I’ve watched the physique shot that felled Usyk a number of occasions, and I feel it was low. Not intentional, not flagrant, however low. The blow was launched from beneath Usyk’s waist into an space simply beneath his beltline in a approach that appeared to jam his protecting cup into his testicles. And the way in which Oleksandr reacted was in line with a low blow, not the delayed response that one sees from a crippling authorized physique shot. He used slightly below 4 of the 5 minutes that he was given to get well and was entitled to take action.
I additionally assume that, when somebody turns into knowledgeable fighter, he (or she) is held to a uniquely excessive customary, significantly on the championship stage, and that Dubois fell in need of that customary in his unwillingness to stroll by fireplace in an effort to win the battle.
Requested afterward to fee Dubois’ energy, Usyk stated merely, “No. Solely in my balls.”
Thomas Hauser’s e-mail tackle is [email protected]. His most up-to-date e-book – The Common Sport: Two Years Inside Boxing – was simply revealed by the College of Arkansas Press. In 2019, Hauser was chosen for boxing’s highest honor – induction into the Worldwide Boxing Corridor of Fame.
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