There are lots of the explanation why Oleksandr Usyk ought to beat Daniel Dubois and go away Wembley Stadium because the undisputed world heavyweight champion on Saturday night.
The Ukrainian is undefeated as knowledgeable, together with a stoppage of Dubois two years in the past, and hasn’t misplaced any bout in 16 years. Usyk feasts on British fighters. He dethroned Anthony Joshua at a packed Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2021. He received a gold medal on the London Olympics.
London native Dubois insists issues shall be completely different this time and that his three current knockout victories – most impressively a demolition of Joshua final September at Wembley – show that he’s the man who can do what no different skilled has achieved: Beat Usyk.
“I’m simply on a special degree now,” the 27-year-old Dubois mentioned. “I’m able to undergo no matter I must on Saturday and get these belts.”
An anticipated crowd of 90,000 shall be readily available when Usyk (23-0, 14 KOs) places his WBA, WBC and WBO titles on the road. He’ll attempt to win Dubois’ IBF belt to change into a two-time undisputed world heavyweight champion.
Lennox Lewis was the final British heavyweight to carry each main belt – undertaking the feat in November 1999.
Usyk respects ‘younger man’ Dubois
Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs) was outmatched by Usyk of their first struggle, unable to defend the Ukrainian southpaw’s jab and failing to land many energy punches that night time in Wroclaw, Poland, in August 2023. Dubois despatched Usyk to the canvas within the fifth spherical, however his punch was dominated a low blow. A straight proper ended Dubois’ night within the ninth.
The final fighter to beat Usyk was Russia’s Egor Mekhontsev in September 2009, on the novice world championships.
Usyk shrugged off chatter that he’s getting too previous to take care of success.
“I respect this man, this younger man,” Usyk mentioned. “This man is motivated, however I’m too. I’m not an previous man, 38 just isn’t previous.”
Usyk’s previous six fights have been towards British opponents – all victories: the last two against Tyson Fury; the Dubois stoppage; consecutive wins over Anthony Joshua; and earlier than that Zimbabwe-born British boxer Derek Chisora.
Solely one among his fights as a heavyweight concerned a non-British opponent – that was in October 2019 towards Chazz Witherspoon of the USA in his debut within the division.
Usyk glad to struggle on Dubois’ dwelling soil in London
“I’m glad to be right here once more,” Usyk mentioned at Wembley.
He has good purpose to be.
He received an Olympic gold medal on the 2012 London Video games. 4 years prior in Liverpool, he was topped novice European champion within the gentle heavyweight class.
In his final struggle on the cruiserweight degree, Usyk knocked out Liverpool’s Tony Bellew in Manchester. He beat Chisora at Wembley Enviornment in 2020.
Joseph Parker mentioned he would method Usyk the best way Chisora did 5 years in the past, by placing strain on the Ukrainian and utilizing extra combos.
“I really feel like this struggle is determined by how Dubois exhibits up,” Parker mentioned after Thursday’s information convention. “Within the final three fights we’ve seen (him) much more assured inside himself and what he’s been capable of do within the ring.”
Dubois was scheduled to make a title defence towards Parker in February, however he backed out on the final minute, citing an sickness.
Dubois continues to be closely influenced by his father, Stanley, who additionally goes by Dave and guides his son’s profession. His dad believed in home-schooling his youngsters, together with Caroline Dubois, herself a world champion boxer. Caroline Dubois ventured away from her father’s administration nearly two years in the past, telling The Related Press in January that “it was both that or I most likely would have ended up stopping boxing and simply be in a very dangerous psychological place.”
Riz Khan, Daniel Dubois’ supervisor, mentioned his fighter’s success for the reason that loss to Usyk is basically down to at least one individual.
“The architect behind the resurgence has clearly been his father, Stan Dubois, who has meticulously hand-picked each single particular person, whether or not it’s the teaching staff, whether or not it’s the medics, whether or not it’s from a administration viewpoint, so we now have all of the credentials to assist Daniel within the background,” Khan mentioned.
Dubois’ makes an attempt at trash-talking appear extra like checking a field slightly than pure bravado, like when he cracked a smile after yelling “And the brand new!” in Usyk’s face this week. Earlier, there was additionally a slow-motion shove of Usyk that lacked conviction.
Nonetheless, he’s the identical dude he was within the buildup to the Joshua struggle, and that was a spectacular success for Dubois.
“I’m a younger lion and I’ve simply bought to take over and be the person – execute,” he mentioned.