Heavyweight champions Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois met today for their kickoff press conference to begin promoting their rematch on July 19th at Wembley Stadium in London.
(Credit: Queensberry)
IBF champion Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs) is still bitter about his loss to Usyk (23-0, 14 KOs) from two years ago, and he let the media know that he feels he was cheated of a victory. He wants to get even with Usyk in their rematch.
Trainer Clash
Usyk lectured Dubois’ trainer, Don Charles, calling him “Jealous,” about his success. Charles has done much of the talking about the low blow incident from their fight in 2023.
Promoter Frank Warren reminded the media today how Dubois missed out on a knockout last time he fought Usyk in 2023. You could tell that he’s still bothered by the incident. That was the infamous low blow fight in which Dubois landed a beltline shot in the fifth round that had Usyk on the canvas for five minutes. The referee ruled the shot was low, but it appeared to be a clean blow in the eyes of many people.
“There was a very controversial moment with a low blow. As I sit here now, for me, that was a legal blow,” said promoter Frank Warren during today’s kick-off press conference for the Usyk-Dubois 2 rematch on July 19th, arguing that Dubois dropped Olekandr with a legal shot to the midsection in the fifth round of their fight in 2023.
The results of the fight weren’t overturned. It must not have been conclusive enough for it to be reversed. Dubois has turned his career around since, winning his last three fights and is now the IBF champion going into his rematch with Usyk on July 19th.
“It’s not about the belt-line. It’s where your navel is and the four minutes [Usyk was down]. It wasn’t called a low blow as the punch landed. There’s no doubt about it that it did hurt Oleks, and there’s no doubt about it that the referee gave him extra time, even when he wanted to fight on. He wanted to fight on, and the referee gave him extra time,” Warren continued.
The Punch That Divided
Fans on social media are torn between thinking it was a low blow and not one. What they do agree on is that they believe Dubois will quit like he did in that fight when the going gets tough against Usyk. Dubois will look for a way out to escape the punishment from Usyk, who isn’t a big puncher. It’s just that Dubois seems to come unglued when he takes punishment, and things are going badly for him.
“It’s done, it’s dusted. It was not Daniel’s time. The referee, for me, got it wrong,” said Warren. “He [Dubois] can put that right on the 19th [of July]. You can’t change what happened. If you look at the record books, it says what it is. It’s all about now, the 19th [of July].
“It’s about Daniel going out there and taking his referee and his judges, those two fists, into the ring and doing the business, which he’s capable of doing it. He’s absolutely shown what he’s about in his last three fights [Anthony Joshua, Filip Hrgovic, and Jarrell Miller]. He’s beaten world class fighters, and beaten them well. Beaten them in sensational style. He’s never been in a boring fight ever,” said Warren about Dubois.
Last Updated on 04/29/2025
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