Ring Observer Boxing by Scoop Malinowski
Ukraine’s unified WBA-WBO-IBF Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (26-0) puts his heavyweight titles on the line against Great Britain’s Daniel Dubois (19-1, 18 KOs) tomorrow, Aug. 26th at Tarczyński Arena Wrocław in Wroclaw, Poland. Usyk will attempt to make the second defense of his unified crown after moving up to the heavyweight division in 2019 following a historic rampage to the undisputed cruiserweight championship.
After a couple of less than spectacular performances as a heavyweight, Usyk raised his level and defeated reigning champion Anthony Joshua by unanimous decision in September 2021. Then in the rematch Usyk won by split decision last August. Dubois, the WBA regular title holder, has won four fights by stoppage since a TKO loss to countryman Joe Joyce in 2020. Usyk vs. Dubois will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ as a special one-fight broadcast starting at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT.
Both fighters spoke briefly at Thursday’s news conference about their showdown for which there is no rematch clause attached…
Champion Oleksandr Usyk
“My preparation is all good. We did a lot of work with swimming. We played football. We danced.”
“I’m grateful to my team, my family, my wife. I’m grateful to my country and to Ukrainian soldiers.”
Challenger Daniel Dubois
“I’m ready. I’ve suffered through training camp. I’ve done all of that. I’m ready now. I’ve prepared. I’ve left no stone unturned. I’m ready. I’m confident. I’m ready to go right now.”
Usyk is the 6-1 betting favorite. Usyk and his team still have future plans to unify with Tyson Fury. Dubois, promoted by the same entity as Fury, would seriously alter the division’s direction if he can pull off the major upset. Because a potential Fury vs Dubois clash would be much easier to produce as an in-house event for Bob Arum and Frank Warren, as opposed to the reluctance and ducking by Fury to fight Usyk, who even agreed to Fury’s famously outrageous demands of a 70-30% split in his favor despite Usyk being the holder of three of the four heavyweight belts.
