Latest news with #LennoxLewis
The Australian
a day ago
- Sport
- The Australian
Usyk KOs Dubois in fifth round to claim undisputed heavyweight crown
Oleksandr Usyk cemented his status as the outstanding heavyweight of his generation with an emphatic fifth-round knockout of Daniel Dubois in their undisputed world title bout. Oleksandr Usyk cemented his status as the outstanding heavyweight of his generation with an emphatic fifth-round knockout of Daniel Dubois in their undisputed world title bout at London's Wembley Stadium on Saturday. Victory saw Ukraine's Usyk extend his unbeaten professional record to 24 fights as the WBA, WBC and WBO champion added his British opponent's IBF belt to his collection. Usyk, now a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion — and three times in all after previously mastering the cruiserweight division — dominated the opening four rounds. And early in the fifth he dropped Dubois to the canvas. Moments later he finished the fight in decisive fashion after a trademark left hook left his British rival unable to beat the count one minute and 52 seconds into the round. LIVE BLOG: Tim Tszyu v Sebastian Fundora It was the second time Usyk, at 38 some 11 years older than his opponent, had defeated Dubois following a ninth-round stoppage success in Krakow, Poland, in 2023, where the Briton was ruled to have landed an illegal low blow in the fifth round. Lennox Lewis, the last British boxer to be undisputed world champion in 1999, forecast before Saturday's fight that Usyk would face a vastly-improved Dubois, saying: 'Dubois was a baby in the sport and now he's a man … You're not going to see the same Daniel Dubois from 18 months ago.' But after Usyk was roared into the ring by a huge contingent of supporters, many of them waving Ukraine national flags in a 90,000 capacity crowd at Wembley, best known as the London base of England's national football team, it was largely one-way traffic as their hero conducted a ruthless masterclass against local favourite Dubois. — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Ð'олодимир ЗеленÑьаий (@ZelenskyyUa) July 19, 2025 '38 is a young guy, remember!,' Usyk told DAZN in the ring after dropping to his knees in celebration. '38 is only start! 'I want to say thank you to Jesus Christ. I want to say thank you to my team and Wembley, thank you so much! It's for the people. 'Nothing is next. It's enough, next, I don't know. I want to rest. My family, my wife, my children, I want to rest now. Two or three months, I want to just rest.' – 'Modern-day legend' Asked about his next opponent Usyk, who has already twice beaten former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, added: 'Maybe it's Tyson Fury. Maybe we have three choices, Derek Chisora and Anthony Joshua. Maybe Joseph Parker. Listen, I cannot now say because I want to go back home.' Dubois insisted he would return to the ring, saying: 'I have to commend him (Usyk) on the performance, I gave everything I had. Take no credit away from that man, I'll be back.' His trainer, Don Charles, added: 'We tried to get going, Dubois is a young champion … He will be back stronger. If you're going to lose, lose to someone like Usyk.' And promoter Frank Warren, a veteran of the British boxing scene, said: 'Usyk is a modern-day legend. In any generation he would be a great fighter. No complaints, the better man won on the night. 'It's Joe Parker's time.' Usyk, meanwhile, basked in the adulation following the latest dazzling victory of a career that has seen him emerge as a national hero in his war-torn homeland. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky was among the first to congratulate Usyk on his victory. 'An undisputed champion. A legend. One of our own,' Zelensky wrote on X. 'Thank you for the strength and inspiration you give to the whole country with every victory. Thank you for stepping into each fight with Ukraine in your heart.' Combat Sport Nikita Tszyu has slammed critics of his brother Tim's Las Vegas defeat, revealing the truth about how the fight ended – while defending the family's boxing legacy. Combat Sport Anthony Mundine was an NRL and boxing legend. Now 'The Man' is leading a bare-knuckle fighting revolution in Australia — and says it can be just as big as UFC.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Oleksandr Usyk and Lennox Lewis agree in their prediction for next heavyweight world champion
LENNOX LEWIS and Oleksandr Usyk are in agreement over who will be the heavyweight division's next world champion. Usyk became the first undisputed king in the blue riband division since Lewis when he defeated Tyson Fury to win all four belts in May. But the masterful Ukrainian - who also beat Fury in the December rematch - only has one bout left in his career after knocking out Daniel Dubois again. The question remains who will surpass Usyk when the two-weight and three-time undisputed champ retires. But the man himself told talkSPORT: "Moses Itauma, I think is a great fighter. Young, 20 years old. I think Itauma has a big future." Londoner Itauma is 12-0 with ten of his wins coming by KO. And he drew comparisons to a young Mike Tyson when he turned professional at 18. Itauma returns on August 16 against Dillian Whyte, 37, in Saudi Arabia in his biggest test to date. And boxing greatness of the past and present are in agreement as Lewis echoed Usyk's assessment. He said: 'Itauma is the next coming. 3 'We've got a lot of heavyweights and great fighters coming out of Britain right now. Moses is definitely one of them.' Usyk, 38, has claimed he has one fight left before hanging up his gloves - and the WBO have ordered him to face Joseph Parker, 33, next. He QUIT! Chisora | Split Decision | Usyk vs Dubois 2 fight review | Sun Sport But Fury has also called for a trilogy bout at Wembley following his two losses in Riyadh. And promoter Frank Warren said: "I would like to see the Joe Parker fight. Joe deserves it. "He's on a run himself, same as Daniel was on, and that's the fight that's been ordered. "So one way or another it will happen, or Joe will fight for the vacant title. "Tyson has made it very clear to me; he'd love that [Usyk] fight, he would love to do that fight and it'd be a big fight." 3
The Independent
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Lennox Lewis claims it would be a ‘travesty' if Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua never happens
Britain's most recent undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis believes Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury must face each other in the ring before walking away from the ring for good, stating otherwise it would be a 'travesty'. The often-rumoured fight between the two Brits has been on fight fans' wishlists for years, but despite Fury and Joshua's spells as heavyweight world champions, the pair have yet to cross paths in the ring. Fury, who retired yet again at the start of 2025, has stated that he will be coming out of retirement in 2026 to face Oleksandr Usyk a third time. However that fight is yet to have been confirmed by anyone other than Fury himself, whilst Joshua is currently sidelined following elbow surgery. 'The Gypsy King' last fought in December 2024, in a unanimous decision loss to Usyk, whilst Joshua was stunned at Wembley Stadium in September by then- IBF champion Daniel Dubois. Matchroom Boxing CEO Frank Smith suggested that Joshua could return towards the end of 2025, whilst boxing's kingmaker Turki Alalshikh is reportedly keen on seeing the pair finally fighting in 2026. Lewis feels that after years of a bout between AJ-Fury never materialising, boxing fans in the UK would be hard done by if they never saw the pair exchange blows. Speaking to The Ring, former WBC, WBA, and IBF heavyweight champion Lewis shared: 'It would be a travesty if they never fight each other. 'I think everybody's looking at the Tyson Fury fight for Joshua and I think that's a good fight for both guys. We need to see that fight. I think they owe it to the British public.' In recent weeks Joshua has been linked to fighting YouTuber-turned-cruiserweight Jake Paul, in a bout where the financial benefits will clearly outweigh the sporting merits. Lewis felt that if Joshua wanted to prove something upon his return to the ring, then he must fight another contender. He continued: 'It really depends on what he wants to prove. 'If he wants to prove that he's still got it then he's got to come back and box somebody that's still about it.' DAZN is the home of combat sports, broadcasting over 185 fights a year from the world's best promoters, including Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, Misfits, PFL, BKFC, GLORY and more. An Annual Saver subscription is a one-off cost of £119.99 / $224.99 (for 12 months access), that's just 64p / $1.21 per fight. There is also a Monthly Flex Pass option (cancel any time) at £24.99 / $29.99 per month. A subscription includes weekly magazine shows, comprehensive fight library, exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes documentaries, and podcasts and vodcasts.
Jordan Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Jordan Times
Usyk knocks out Dubois to become undisputed world heavyweight champion
LONDON — Oleksandr Usyk cemented his status as the outstanding heavyweight of his generation with an emphatic fifth-round knockout of Daniel Dubois in their undisputed world title bout at London's Wembley Stadium on Saturday. Victory saw Ukraine's Usyk extend his unbeaten professional record to 24 fights as the WBA, WBC and WBO champion added his British opponent's IBF belt to his collection. Usyk, now a two-time undisputed champion, dominated the opening four rounds. And early in the fifth he dropped Dubois to the canvas. Moments later he finished the fight in decisive fashion after a trademark left hook left his British rival unable to beat the count one minute and 52 seconds into the round. It was the second time Usyk, at 38 some 11 years older than his opponent, had defeated Dubois following a ninth-round stoppage success in Krakow, Poland, in 2023, where the Briton was ruled to have landed an illegal low blow in the fifth round. Lennox Lewis, the last British boxer to be undisputed world champion in 1999, forecast before Saturday's fight that Usyk would face a vastly-improved Dubois, saying: "Dubois was a baby in the sport and now he's a not going to see the same Daniel Dubois from 18 months ago." But after Usyk was roared into the ring by a huge contingent of supporters, many of them waving Ukraine national flags in a 90,000 capacity crowd at Wembley, best known as the London base of England's national football team, it was largely one-way traffic as their hero conducted a ruthless masterclass against local favourite Dubois. "38 is a young guy, remember!," Usyk told DAZN in the ring after dropping to his knees in celebration. "38 is only start! "I want to say thank you to Jesus Christ. I want to say thank you to my team and Wembley, thank you so much! It's for the people. "Nothing is next. It's enough, next, I don't know. I want to rest. My family, my wife, my children, I want to rest now. Two or three months, I want to just rest." 'Modern-day legend' Asked about his next opponent Usyk, who has already twice beaten former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, added: "Maybe it's Tyson Fury. Maybe we have three choices, Derek Chisora and Anthony Joshua. Maybe Joseph Parker. Listen, I cannot now say because I want to go back home." Dubois insisted he would return to the ring, saying: "I have to commend him [Usyk] on the performance, I gave everything I had. Take no credit away from that man, I'll be back." His trainer, Don Charles, added: "We tried to get going, Dubois is a young will be back stronger. If you're going to lose, lose to someone like Usyk." And promoter Frank Warren, a veteran of the British boxing scene, said: "Usyk is a modern-day legend. In any generation he would be a great fighter. No complaints, the better man won on the night. "It's Joe Parker's time." Usyk, meanwhile, basked in the adulation following the latest dazzling victory of a career that has seen him emerge as a national hero in his war-torn homeland. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky was among the first to congratulate Usyk on his victory. "An undisputed champion. A legend. One of our own," Zelensky wrote on X. "Thank you for the strength and inspiration you give to the whole country with every victory. Thank you for stepping into each fight with Ukraine in your heart."
The Independent
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Usyk vs Dubois 2: Ranking the 10 best wins ever by British fighters
Daniel Dubois will get his shot at redemption on Saturday night when he takes on Oleksandr Usyk for the second time with the undisputed heavyweight championship on the line. Usyk knocked Dubois out in the ninth round of their first meeting two years ago, and has since beaten Tyson Fury twice to establish himself as the world's best in boxing's blue-riband division. Usyk is the pound-for-pound No 1 fighter in the world according to The Ring, highlighting the task ahead of Dubois. If Dubois can pull off the upset it would be one of the greatest nights in British boxing history. But whose footsteps would he be following in? Let's take a look at the 10 best wins ever by British fighters ahead of Saturday's showdown. 10. Lennox Lewis vs Evander Holyfield 2 Lewis and Holyfield went head-to-head for heavyweight supremacy at the end of the 20th century across two fights. The first ended in controversial fashion. Many believed Lewis had comfortably done enough to get his hand raised but the bout was scored a split decision draw. An immediate rematch was scheduled, with Lewis and Holyfield trading leather for another 12 rounds. It appeared the rematch was closer, but this time Lewis was given the nod as he cemented himself as the best heavyweight on the planet. 9. Naseem Hamed vs Kevin Kelley Hamed was brimming with confidence as he headed Stateside for the first time in his career to take on Kelley in New York, but it almost all went horribly wrong. The Sheffield featherweight went down three times in the opening rounds of the contest but refused to take a backwards step as he kept looking to knock out his rival. In the fourth round, Hamed landed a peach of a left hand to leave Kelley out for the count as he announced himself to the American audience. Due to the level of adversity that he overcame to retain his title, Hamed deserves to make this list. 8. Anthony Joshua vs Wladimir Klitschko Some may argue that Klitschko was 41 when he entered the ring in April 2017 to try and win his heavyweight title back from Joshua. But the Ukrainian was still bouncing around on his toes like a 21-year-old and gave the Brit all he could handle that night in front of 90,000 fans at Wembley. The two men traded knockdowns and it seemed Joshua was out on his feet on more than one occasion as the fight moved into the championship rounds. But he somehow summoned some energy out of nowhere to knock Klitschko down twice in the 11th round before the referee jumped in to halt the contest. It was an epic fight where Joshua had to dig incredibly deep to get over the line and send Klitschko into retirement. 7. Nigel Benn vs Gerald McClellan McClellan was a wrecking machine when he travelled over to London to face Benn in February 1995. And the fight could not have started worse for Benn as he was knocked out of the ring following a huge onslaught by the American. There has been plenty of debate over whether Benn was given too much time to get back into the ring, but the referee waved the fight on. Following his disastrous start, Benn gradually worked his way back into the contest before McClellan eventually took a knee in the 10th round and the fight was stopped. The world title clash is remembered for the tragic ending, with McClellan subsequently being diagnosed with a severe brain injury after taking significant punishment. But from Benn's perspective, it was a tremendous performance as he battled back from a huge knockdown to get the win. 6. Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder 2 Fury and Wilder first faced each other in December 2018. It was the former who controlled the majority of the fight, but Wilder scored two knockdowns to earn a draw. Fury had boxed off the back foot that night and many expected him to do the same in the rematch. However, the 'Gypsy King' had other ideas. He immediately took the centre of the ring and pushed Wilder back as he dominated from the opening bell. Wilder had no answers and was knocked down twice before his corner threw in the towel during the seventh round. It was a spectacular performance from Fury as he took Wilder's title and unbeaten record from him. They fought for a third time the following year, with Fury surviving two knockdowns before stopping Wilder again. 5. Joe Calzaghe vs Jeff Lacy Lacy had been billed as a mini-Mike Tyson when he came over to Manchester for a unification clash with Calzaghe in March 2006. He was unbeaten in 21 fights and was heavily favoured to hand Calzaghe his first loss, with the Welshman well into his thirties and struggling with hand problems. Calzaghe would later admit that he contemplated pulling out of the fight due to injury, but he was convinced by his father and trainer, Enzo, to face Lacy. From the opening bell, Calzaghe delivered a masterful display as he rattled off combinations at will. Lacy showed tremendous bravery but was outclassed round after round and eventually went down in the 12th. His corner ought to have thrown in the towel to save their fighter for another day but Lacy just about made it to the final bell. There was no doubting who had won as Calzaghe proved what a special talent he really was. 4. Tyson Fury vs Wladimir Klitschko Fury makes the list for a second time after he managed to dethrone long-standing heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko in 2015. The younger Klitschko had dominated the division for almost a decade while fighting out of his adopted homeland in Germany, and few gave Fury much hope of ending his reign. But Fury went over to Dusseldorf full of confidence after getting into Klitschko's head by dressing as Batman for their launch press conference and then constantly trash-talking the Ukrainian. Once the pair got into the ring, it was Fury who took control as he used his superior reach to keep Klitschko at bay. It was not the most entertaining fight ever with exchanges becoming scrappy at times – leading to this win not quite making the top three - but Fury's ring generalship was very impressive as he came away with a unanimous decision victory. 3. Ricky Hatton vs Kostya Tszyu Hatton took on pound-for-pound star Tszyu in front of his adoring fans in Manchester, but they had probably arrived at the venue more in hope than expectation. Tszyu had only lost once in the previous decade and was the man to beat in the light-welterweight division. He possessed knockout power in both hands, and there was a feeling that it would only be a matter of time before Hatton walked on to a big shot. But the Mancunian stuck to his gameplan, getting on the inside so that he could not be caught on the end of Tszyu's punches. He set a ferocious pace that Tszyu simply could not live with, and the fight was waved off ahead of the final round with Tszyu unable to continue. The MEN Arena – as it was known at the time – erupted, as Hatton collapsed to the canvas after producing the performance of his life. 2. Ken Buchanan vs Ismael Laguna Buchanan is widely regarded as the best fighter to ever come out of Scotland, and this clash with Laguna in 1970 went some way to cementing his legacy. Buchanan had retired the previous year after growing frustrated with his lack of opportunities, but he came back to take on Laguna in Puerto Rico. The fight took place in sweltering conditions, making the task even tougher for Buchanan, but the Scot still produced some dazzling combinations to keep Laguna at arm's length. It was a closely-fought contest, but it was Buchanan who won a split decision to claim the WBA and The Ring lightweight titles. Buchanan keeping his cool in unbearable heat against a world-class foe marked this out as one of the all-time great wins. 1. Lloyd Honeyghan vs Donald Curry Almost 40 years on, this victory is still top of the tree. When Honeyghan travelled over to New Jersey in September 1986 he was a huge underdog against the unbeaten Curry. It seemed a formality that pound-for-pound star Curry would defend his welterweight titles before moving up to light-middleweight. Instead, Honeyghan made a fast start and rocked Curry in the second round. Just as Curry appeared to be gaining a foothold in the fight, Honeyghan hurt him again in the fifth and then dominated the sixth, leading to Curry's corner throwing in the towel. Winning on foreign soil is tough enough, but beating one of the best fighters on the planet to become unified champion is another matter altogether. That's exactly what Honeyghan did on that famous night in 1986.
