Oleksandr Usyk baffles Daniel Dubois with four-word message

Daily Mirror

3 days ago

Both Usyk and Dubois had the opportunity to trade barbs one last time before their heavyweight rematch - but the Brit was left confused by the Ukrainian's comments at the pre-fight press conference
Oleksandr Usyk left Daniel Dubois rather confused after he sent the Brit and his team a rather bizarre message ahead of their blockbuster showdown.
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The pair are scheduled to go head-to-head for a second time at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night. Two years ago, it was Usyk who would go on to get the victory - having scored a stoppage win in the ninth round. However, 'Triple D' has come leaps and bounds since the defeat.
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Dubois has scored impressive knockout wins over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic and the Brit comes into the dust-up off the back of a career-defining win over Anthony Joshua last September. Since the fight was made official, 'Triple D' has cut a confident figure as he looks to level the series.
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Both men met at a pre-fight press conference on Thursday afternoon at Wembley Stadium - with Usyk using the opportunity to try and get under his rival's skin, but it backfired majorly. The Ukrainian warned his foe: "Don't push the horses!" Dubois and his team were left confused by the message and spent a good few seconds trying decipher exactly what was hurled at them.
Usyk heads into fight night with all the bragging rights as he looks to settle the series once and for all. After scoring a knockout victory in the first clash, the Ukrainian is hoping for yet another statement win on Saturday. The 38-year-old - who is a man of very few words - was quick to give his prediction for the clash. When asked whether he plans to finish Dubois again, Usyk replied: "Yeah, I believe this!"
'Triple D' was ultimately asked the same question and offered a slightly more significant response. "I am going to make it a great fight. I am looking forward to the fight, a great fight and I am up for it. I feel like - at the moment - I am at the peak of my powers and it is going to be a great performance."
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Dubois' trainer Don Charles is confident that the stars have aligned for his man to get the job done and hand Usyk the first loss of his professional career. "He was born that way (confident). The way it has been written... the universe, here we are today. He is the current IBF heavyweight champion. Remarkable," he said. "At a mere age of 27. If you really think about what this young man has experienced to be where he is today, the sacrifices he has always made and still making, it is a prime example for any young person who wants to come into the industry, to follow and to copy what this young man here has done."
He added: "I have been blessed to be inherited to work with this young prime athlete. It is all for a reason. And, in my opinion, he has been destined to be here today, he has been destined to do on Saturday what almost was deemed the impossible. The impossible will become the possible, that is why we are here!"
When is Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois?
The rematch between Usyk and Dubois is scheduled for Saturday, 19 July, at Wembley Stadium. The fight will be exclusively broadcast live on DAZN PPV. The entire fight card for the night can be accessed live on DAZN PPV, priced at £24.99 in the UK; $59.99 in the US; and $19.99/equivalent in ROW.
The DAZN coverage is set to kick off around 5:30pm BST (12.30pm ET / 9.30am PT), with the first undercard fight expected to start at approximately 5.40pm BST (12.40pm ET / 9.40am PT). Usyk and Dubois are anticipated to make their ringwalks at 9:45pm BST (4:45pm ET / 1:45pm PT).