Daniel Dubois’s determination was not enough to defeat Oleksandr Usyk at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night. No elite heavyweight of this era has been able to handle the “slippy” Ukranian who has now scored seven zero against all the British elite he fought in the heavyweight division.
Having beaten Chisora once, Anthony Joshua twice, Tyson Fury Twice and Dubois twice, Usyk’s undisputed title won again on Saturday when he unified the IBF belt with his WBA, WBO and WBC in a record that will take years to beat.
Dubois came to this fight with determination and confidence after knocking out Joshua a few months ago but met a more tactical and more mentally stronger opponent that would only take five rounds to deflate him.
Usyk allowed Dubois to gas out quickly as he rotated round the ring, intermittently setting a trap for the British as the fight continued. I knew from the start that a jab could fall Dubois with the way he was jumping up and down to hit the Ukranian.
Fighting a boxer of Usyk’s calibre who is more or less a standard for modern boxing, it will not only require determination but a lot of calculations, techniques, resilience and patience. Dubois was too much in a hurry and it showed in his aggression in round five that led to his fall.
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After the second round, I could notice Usyk’s corner how he felt perhaps because of the presure from Dubois. The Ukrainian nodded he was in control that it would only take a few minutes before he would damage Dubois. Usyk showed he knew what he was doing, “to tire out:” the Briton who was seriously looking for a knockout.
The Ukrianian as usual was “slippy” and mobile. He fought from the outside and created spaces and holes to hit Dubois where the balance was. He knew that Dubois would come after him after hitting the Briton twice in round two and three.
And when he realised that Dubois was becoming greedy, Usyk threw a bait, ran towards his corner for a cover, drawing the Briton to a trap that would finish the fight. It was a tactical movement. Dubois rushed the bait, threw some punches, which Usyk simply dodged and in a counter punch, a hook landed on Dubois’ chin.
The Briton staggered, gasping for breath as he found the canvas. Of course he beat the count, Usyk knew it was time to finish the work, he moved in and clinically finished the Briton. It looked simple, it was very very scientific.
It was not the blow that threw Dubois down but accumulated frustration from a running man. He has run himself out of gas. He never beat the count, all looked like a dream. Usyk just took away the only heavyweight belt from Dubois and became two-time Undisputed Heavyweight. This is a record.
Congratulations Oleksandr Usyk
