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The Hindu
2 hours ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Usyk vs Dubois 2 — Oleksandr knocks out opponent to become world heavyweight champion again
Oleksandr Usyk disagreed with the idea that he's become one of boxing's all-time greats, but the evidence is mounting after his fifth-round knockout of Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium on Saturday. The victory, sealed with a crunching left hook to Dubois' jaw, made Usyk the undisputed world heavyweight champion for a second time. The undefeated southpaw retained his WBA, WBC and WBO belts and regained the IBF belt he relinquished just over a year ago. The bad news for opponents — especially the British ones that he keeps beating — is that the 38-year-old Ukrainian has no plans to stop anytime soon. He said he's still a 'young guy' and named Tyson Fury, Derek Chisora, Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker as possible next foes. Jake Paul threw his own hat in the ring. 'I will continue boxing and I will continue training, but now I cannot say who my next opponent will be,' Usyk said at his press conference. 'I prepared 3 1/2 months, I've not seen my family, my wife. Every day I live with my team — 14 guys in one house. Now I want to go back home.' Usyk, best known as a slick tactician rather than a power puncher, remains undefeated as a professional and hasn't lost a bout in 16 years. | Photo Credit: Reuters Usyk dropped Dubois twice in the fifth — the second time with a lunging left hook midway through the round after Dubois missed with a right. The London native looked stunned on the canvas and couldn't beat the count before about 90,000 spectators at Wembley. Usyk, best known as a slick tactician rather than a power puncher, certainly answered questions about his age and whether he'd slow down. He said that the hook is called an 'Ivan.' 'Ivan is like a big guy who lives in (the) village and work in (a) farm... it's a hard, hard punch,' Usyk said. Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) beat Dubois for the second time in under two years, and this time, there was no low-blow drama. It was a ninth-round stoppage in Poland with, of all things, a straight jab. But the finishing shot Saturday was a no-doubter. Dubois (22-3, 21 KOs) joined British countrymen Fury and Joshua in having lost twice to Usyk, who was an undisputed world champion as a cruiserweight before he moved up in weight six years ago. The 27-year-old Dubois's last fight — also at Wembley — had been a stunning knockout of Joshua last September. He couldn't muster the same magic, telling DAZN: 'I gave everything I had. Take no credit away from that man, I'll be back.' The Briton gave a better showing than two years ago, when Usyk peppered him with jabs and won almost every round. Between the fourth and fifth rounds on Saturday, Dubois's corner was urging him to use a double jab, but there was not enough time to carry out the orders as Usyk ended it shortly thereafter. Dubois was hoping to become the first British heavyweight to hold every major belt since Lennox Lewis just over 25 years ago. Dubois had inherited the IBF title that Usyk vacated last year when the Ukrainian chose to focus on his rematch with Fury. Usyk knocks down Daniel Dubois and wins the fight at Wembley Stadium in London. | Photo Credit: Reuters Usyk said flatly, 'No' in response to whether he thinks he's one of the sport's all-time greats. He said he's just disciplined. 'I don't have motivation, I have discipline. Motivation is temporary,' he said. Usyk said Britain has been like a 'second home' to him. He won a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics. He dethroned Joshua at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2021. 'I'm very grateful for this country. Thank you so much, you're the best,' he said. In 2008, in Liverpool, Usyk was crowned European amateur champion in the light heavyweight category. In his last fight at the cruiserweight level, Usyk knocked out Liverpool's Tony Bellew in Manchester. He remains undefeated as a professional and hasn't lost a bout in 16 years. Unsurprisingly, Paul had his share of the spotlight Saturday. He was loudly booed during his entrance to the stadium, shown on the big screens. The YouTuber-turned-boxer told DAZN that a fight against Joshua is 'going to happen,' possibly at Wembley. After the ring cleared out, Paul and Usyk engaged in a brief 'stare down.' Oleksandr Usyk went head to head with Jake Paul after he won his fight against Daniel Dubois. | Photo Credit: Reuters Paul posted a message on his social media accounts: 'Congrats to one of the greatest heavyweights of all time... I respect you a lot. Now we do an MMA match for the world.' He added, 'First AJ, then OU. Book it.' Frank Bruno was among the VIPs. The London native won the WBC heavyweight belt 30 years ago at the old Wembley Stadium when he beat Oliver McCall. He was knocked out by Mike Tyson six months later. Usyk entered the stadium with an 'Eeyore' stuffed donkey from the 'Winnie the Pooh' books tucked into his jumpsuit. He brought it to past fights as well, apparently given to him by his daughter.
News18
5 hours ago
- Sport
- News18
Usyk V. Dubois II: The Cat Always Lands…
Last Updated: Oleksandr Usyk's precision and footwork led to a fifth-round knockout of Daniel Dubois in their thrilling rematch at Wembley. Ninety thousand fans. One fabled stadium. Two heavyweights who know each other too well. When Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois returned to the ring for their rematch under the hot July lights at Wembley, the boxing world expected answers to as many questions as punches thrown. Fight week in London pulsed with anticipation, the city humming like a tuning fork. Flags and face paint painted Wembley Way. Usyk's yellow and blue filled the pubs, as Dubois' homegrown faithful talked up a redemption story. Betting shops tightened their odds to favour the crafty southpaw, but after Dubois' recent KO streak, few dared dismiss a revenge twist. By Friday's weigh-in, the faceoff looked like the prelude to a classic Greek tragedy—hero versus challenger, pride versus legacy. The ringside angle of ???????????????? left hand by Oleksandr Usyk🎯 #UsykDubois2 — DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) July 19, 2025 Despite contrasting backgrounds and boxing roots, both men's recent paths seemed destined to collide again. Usyk, now 38 but physically sharper than ever, glided into London on the heels of back-to-back wins over Tyson Fury—still irked by the IBF's cold-blooded decision to strip his title. For Usyk, it was an occasion to reassert textbook perfection. On fight night, everything felt amplified. Usyk's walk-in, choir in tow, built to a crescendo that silenced the audience in respect; Dubois' ring walk, spiked with fireworks and local chants, turned up the London pride. The Dismantling: Round 1 The opening stanza was all about measuring distance and intellect. Dubois charged to the center, intent on bullying the smaller man from the first exchange. But Usyk, all pivots and feints, had other plans. Slipping past Dubois' busy jab and stiff right, Usyk found his range with the southpaw jab, marking territory and scoring cleanly. Two minutes in, a mean straight left pierced Dubois' high guard and drew a collective hiss from those close enough to feel its sting. According to CompuBox, Usyk out-landed Dubois, 11 to 7—a sign that, at least early, timing was trumping muscle. Round 2 The second round saw Usyk settle into his element, pivoting his lead foot to set traps and force Dubois off rhythm. The Brit, feeling the crowd and the moment, tried lunging in with a double jab, while his corner barked for more aggression. Usyk bided his time, waiting for each overreach before cracking home two counters to the midsection. Every time Dubois tried to load up, Usyk slipped and responded with a piston-like jab or a hard left to the body. By the bell, Usyk's connect tally ticked upward, and Dubois, visibly frustrated, returned to his stool already having to reset his plan. Round 3 By round three, the mood at Wembley shifted. Realising the points deficit and the struggle to close range, Dubois went for broke, a heavy overhand right swung for the fences. Usyk, ever the master of angles, rolled beneath it and answered with a nimble left hook that wobbled the bigger man. You could feel the crowd sensing the balance of power shifting. Dubois, a proven knockout artist, now appeared the more tentative fighter, his mouthguard working overtime as he sucked in oxygen. Round 4 Then, controversy flickered in round four. Dubois dug to the body, his glove straying low and drawing a grimace from Usyk. The referee paused to issue a warning, and for a moment, memories of their first fight's 'low blow affair" threatened to take center stage. Usyk waved off the incident, resetting quickly and finishing the round with a surgical three-punch combo. Dubois now looked hunted, blinking and pawing at the air, as Usyk's confidence swelled. And then, the fight found its highlight reel. With only fifteen seconds gone in the fifth, Usyk feinted down, tricking Dubois into lowering his guard. The Ukrainian launched a vicious overhand right over the top, dropping Dubois to his knees. Wembley's volume leapt to jet-engine decibels. Dubois hauled himself upright, his eyes glassy and legs watery. Usyk showed no mercy. Smelling the end, he walked Dubois to the ropes, waited for the desperate overhand, and detonated a sweeping left hook that sent Dubois crashing to the canvas—gumshield launched, dreams dashed. At 1:52, referee Steve Grey had seen enough, waving it off to a roar only Wembley could summon. The numbers told a tale of precision over power: Usyk's mastery was in the details. His footwork, a kaleidoscope of pivots and shifts, forced Dubois to chase and miss—according to round-by-round stats, Dubois' connect rate plummeted as frustration built. As the Brit overreached, each miss queued up a textbook counter, a pattern that climaxed in the decisive knockdowns. 'He discombobulated Dubois; he mesmerised him. Under 15 minutes of pure wizardry," observed a ringside Gareth A. Davies, encapsulating the collective awe from fans and analysts alike. In the ring, Usyk served up a playful rebuke to talk of his age: 'Thirty-eight is a young guy—only the start." Dubois accepted defeat with candour. 'I gave everything I had. He's a generational great." Sometimes, the better man wins. With his status as a three-time undisputed champion secure, Usyk's legacy grows ever more luminous. He is now the first fighter of the four-belt era to hold undisputed crowns three times across two divisions, forcing historians and fans alike to compare him with Lennox Lewis, Muhammad Ali, and Joe Louis. As promoter Frank Warren confirmed, Joseph Parker will be the WBO's mandated challenger, and Tyson Fury wasted little time teasing a third encounter on social media: 'See you soon, rabbit." For Dubois, reflection and rebuilding are next. Youth and power remain on his side, even if the myth of his invincibility is forever pierced. top videos View all On social media, the impact was instant and global. Within minutes, #UsykDubois2 soared to the top trending spot. Ring Magazine's post highlighting Usyk's shocking 71% power-punch accuracy was shared and debated millions of times. As midnight passed and Wembley emptied, the echoes of another classic reverberated through the sport. Usyk didn't simply win—he reminded everyone why boxing, at its best, is equal parts intellect and violence, poetry and punishment. As he knelt in quiet thanks, the world asked a question echoing around the division: Who, if anyone, can ever catch 'The Cat"? News18 Sports brings you the latest updates, live commentary, and highlights from cricket, football, tennis, badmintion, wwe and more. Catch breaking news, live scores, and in-depth coverage. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 20, 2025, 07:29 IST News sports Usyk V. Dubois II: The Cat Always Lands… Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Star
5 hours ago
- Sport
- The Star
Boxing-Motivation overrated, discipline the key for undisputed champion Usyk
Boxing - Oleksandr Usyk v Daniel Dubois - Undisputed World Heavyweight Title - BoxPark Wembley, London, Britain - July 19, 2025 Oleksandr Usyk during the press conference after winning the fight against Daniel Dubois Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers (Reuters) -Oleksandr Usyk, with his characteristic pragmatism, shut down any questions over whether he can motivate himself to keep going after a knockout win over Daniel Dubois on Saturday helped him reclaim the undisputed heavyweight boxing crown. The Ukrainian put in a scintillating performance as he floored Briton Dubois in the fifth round at Wembley Stadium to add the IBF belt to his WBC, WBA and WBO titles. Asked how he was able to continue competing with such drive at the age of 38, Usyk told reporters: "I don't have motivation, I have discipline." "Motivation is temporary, today you have it, tomorrow you wake up early and you don't have it." "When I wake up early morning for training, I never have motivation, I only have discipline. Only amateur sportsmen need motivation. Motivation is good, but discipline is better." Saturday's unification fight was a rematch of one that Dubois lost by a controversial ninth-round knockout in Wroclaw, Poland, in 2023, after Usyk was given time to recover from what the referee ruled was a low blow. Usyk said he and his team had put the lessons they had learned from their first meeting with Dubois to use, adding that they had even named the precise combination of blows that led to their victory. "We prepared for this fight, with my team. We learned from the first fight, we had a long time, two years to prepare a combination," he said. "The punch is named Ivan. It's a Ukrainian name, it's like a big guy who lives in a village and works on a farm! It's a hard punch." While Usyk was non-committal on who he would face next, he stressed that he was not yet ready to hang up his gloves. "Now I want to rest. I cannot say who my next opponent is today, because I've been preparing for three and a half months. I don't see my family, my wife," he said. "Every day I live with my team, with 14 guys in one house. Every day, only same faces. Now I want to go back home. I want to make a choice about what's next." "I will continue in boxing, I will continue training, but now I cannot say who's my next opponent." (Reporting by Aadi Nair in BengaluruEditing by Marguerita Choy)
The Independent
5 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Daniel Dubois makes vow after falling short again against supreme Oleksandr Usyk: ‘I'll be back'
Daniel Dubois acknowledged his best was not good enough after his undisputed world heavyweight dreams went up in smoke with a fifth-round stoppage loss at Wembley thanks to Oleksandr Usyk 's 'Ivan' punch. Usyk had shown his class against the 27-year-old from London during a one-sided contest in Krakow in 2023, where Dubois was adjudged to have landed an illegal low blow in round five, but the Ukrainian had been warned throughout fight week to expect a 'different' opponent this time. Yet, Usyk (24-0, 15KOs) proved too strong for Dubois (22-3, 21KOs) once again. After the former undisputed cruiserweight champion had got the better of the opening four rounds, he produced a masterful fifth-round finish to further cement his status as one of the sport's all-time greats. After Dubois was put down by a powerful right punch, the British boxer bravely made it back to his feet. He was floored again a matter of seconds later by a huge left hit to taste defeat for a third time in his professional career. It earned Usyk his 24th win and a seventh in a row against fighters from this country to ensure he got his hands back on the IBF title to add to his WBA, WBO and WBC belts as he became undisputed in the blue riband division for a second time. Dubois said: 'I have to commend him on his performance. I gave everything I had, probably a few things I could have sharpened up on, but take no credit away from the man. 'I was just fighting, I was in a fight and trying to pick up round by round. It is what it is, but I'll be back. 'I want to thank everyone for coming out. I gave my best, we'll go back to the drawing board and come again.' Usyk later revealed the money shot was not a left hook but a punch titled 'Ivan' by the 38-year-old, who again went up a level in a rematch like he also showed against Dubois' compatriots Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. 'Listen, we prepare for this fight with my team. We learn from first fight, we have a long time, two years, and we prepare a combination. You know the punch name Ivan,' Usyk revealed. 'Left hook? A hook is like this (gesture), that is Ivan. It is Ukrainian name. Ivan is you know a big guy, who lives in a village, he is Kozak, you say, 'what is your name?' And he says, 'my name is Ivan,'. 'Yeah, it is a hard, hard punch, Ivan. It is a long time. Maybe first time is 2018? Yeah, first time. It was USA in cruiserweight. 'Now I want to go back home, now I want to do a choice over what next. I will continue in boxing, I will continue in training, but now I cannot say who next.' This vintage Usyk victory meant he enjoyed more English capital success after he claimed Olympic gold at the London Games in 2012 and four years ago clinched his first world heavyweight belts in a points victory over Anthony Joshua at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. However, quizzed on if he agreed that he was one of the greatest of all-time, Usyk smirked: 'Ha, no. 'For me, UK is like a second home because this I take all my trophy. European (amateur) champion (in Liverpool), London 2012, Tony Bellew, Dereck Chisora, Anthony Joshua, three-time undisputed Dubois, I am very grateful for this country.' Queensberry promoter Frank Warren added: 'We witnessed one of the true modern-day legends tonight in action. ' Oleksandr Usyk for me is a heavyweight in any generation that would be an outstanding fighter. I take my hat off to him in how he coped, how he showed such mental resilience in someone's back yard, he is something special. He is a special fighter.' 'Daniel is obviously very disappointed, he is in the dressing room at the moment but he will come back.'
South Wales Argus
5 hours ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Daniel Dubois vows ‘I'll be back' after second loss to Oleksandr Usyk
Usyk had shown his class against the 27-year-old from London during a one-sided contest in Krakow in 2023, where Dubois was adjudged to have landed an illegal low blow in round five, but the Ukrainian had been warned throughout fight week to expect a 'different' opponent this time. Yet, Usyk (24-0, 15KOs) proved too strong for Dubois (22-3, 21KOs) once again. After the former undisputed cruiserweight champion had got the better of the opening four rounds, he produced a masterful fifth-round finish to further cement his status as one of the sport's all-time greats. After Dubois was put down by a powerful right punch, the British boxer bravely made it back to his feet. He was floored again a matter of seconds later by a huge left hit to taste defeat for a third time in his professional career. It earned Usyk his 24th win and a seventh in a row against fighters from this country to ensure he got his hands back on the IBF title to add to his WBA, WBO and WBC belts as he became undisputed in the blue riband division for a second time. Dubois said: 'I have to commend him on his performance. I gave everything I had, probably a few things I could have sharpened up on, but take no credit away from the man. 'I was just fighting, I was in a fight and trying to pick up round by round. It is what it is, but I'll be back. Oleksandr Usyk celebrates winning the IBF, IBO, WBC and WBO world heavyweight bout against Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium (Bradley Collyer/PA) 'I want to thank everyone for coming out. I gave my best, we'll go back to the drawing board and come again.' Usyk later revealed the money shot was not a left hook but a punch titled 'Ivan' by the 38-year-old, who again went up a level in a rematch like he also showed against Dubois' compatriots Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. 'Listen, we prepare for this fight with my team. We learn from first fight, we have a long time, two years, and we prepare a combination. You know the punch name Ivan,' Usyk revealed. 'Left hook? A hook is like this (gesture), that is Ivan. It is Ukrainian name. Ivan is you know a big guy, who lives in a village, he is Kozak, you say, 'what is your name?' And he says, 'my name is Ivan,'. 'Yeah, it is a hard, hard punch, Ivan. It is a long time. Maybe first time is 2018? Yeah, first time. It was USA in cruiserweight. 'Now I want to go back home, now I want to do a choice over what next. I will continue in boxing, I will continue in training, but now I cannot say who next.' This vintage Usyk victory meant he enjoyed more English capital success after he claimed Olympic gold at the London Games in 2012 and four years ago clinched his first world heavyweight belts in a points victory over Anthony Joshua at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Daniel Dubois walks out for the IBF, IBO, WBC and WBO world heavyweight bout against Oleksandr Usyk at Wembley Stadium (Bradley Collyer/PA) However, quizzed on if he agreed that he was one of the greatest of all-time, Usyk smirked: 'Ha, no. 'For me, UK is like a second home because this I take all my trophy. European (amateur) champion (in Liverpool), London 2012, Tony Bellew, Dereck Chisora, Anthony Joshua, three-time undisputed Dubois, I am very grateful for this country.' Queensberry promoter Frank Warren added: 'We witnessed one of the true modern-day legends tonight in action. 'Oleksandr Usyk for me is a heavyweight in any generation that would be an outstanding fighter. I take my hat off to him in how he coped, how he showed such mental resilience in someone's back yard, he is something special. He is a special fighter.' 'Daniel is obviously very disappointed, he is in the dressing room at the moment but he will come back.'
