Latest news with #OleksandrUsyk
The Independent
28 minutes 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.
The Independent
3 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Oleksandr Usyk, Muhammad Ali: The remarkable similarities between two heavyweight icons
Oleksandr Usyk enters his fight with Daniel Dubois on Saturday night as the best heavyweight on the planet. In an era where giant heavyweights have largely dominated, Usyk has proved that it is not all about size in boxing 's blue-riband division. Over half a century ago, Muhammad Ali did the same thing. He was not the biggest or the hardest-punching heavyweight, but his skill and heart allowed him to become the very best. The heavyweight division has not seen anyone like Ali before or since, but there are a number of similarities between the 'The Greatest' and Usyk. Let's assess how they stack up against each other physically and in terms of achievements. Born on the same day Let's start with something purely coincidental – Ali and Usyk were born on the same day. Ali came into the world on January 17, 1942 and Usyk was born on the same date 45 years later. That specific date appears to be a special one for elite athletes as former female fighter Ann Wolfe was also born on January 17. Wolfe is widely regarded as one of the best women's boxers ever after holding world titles in three different weight classes simultaneously during her glittering career. Same height, reach and weight Usyk and Ali's physical attributes are also very comparable. At his peak, Ali stood at 6ft 3in tall, had a 78in reach and weighed around 220lbs. Usyk is the same height and has an identical reach. He has also resisted the temptation to bulk up too much since moving to heavyweight. The Ukrainian great has stayed around the 220lbs mark for most of his recent fights, giving up weight to his opponents. The likes of Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois have all outweighed Usyk, but his skillset and boxing brain has got his hand raised time and time again. Olympic champions Ali went to the Rome Olympics in 1960 when he was only 18 years old. The teenager had still not finished growing at the time and competed in the light-heavyweight division. He came away with a gold medal after outclassing his opponents and turned professional shortly afterwards. Usyk also got to stand on the top step of the podium after claiming heavyweight gold at the 2012 Olympics in London. He was one division below Anthony Joshua who won gold at super-heavyweight. Usyk switched over to the professional ranks the following year where he started off at cruiserweight – a weight class that did not exist when Ali started boxing. Heavyweight kings Ali became heavyweight champion for the first time when he stunned Sonny Liston in February 1964 and he won their rematch in even more dominant fashion the following year. Ali had to relinquish his titles are refusing to sign up for the US army, but came back to regain them when he beat George Foreman in the 'Rumble in the Jungle'. As he moved into the final years of his career, Ali was no longer the same force, but he still had enough left in the tank to win his titles back from Leon Spinks to achieve three-time champion status. Similarly to Ali, Usyk was also written off when he first challenged for heavyweight gold. Usyk had looked unconvincing in beating Derek Chisora and many expected Anthony Joshua to deal with him. But Usyk delivered a classy display to outpoint Joshua and then repeated the feat a year later. He has since seen off Dubois and Tyson Fury twice, and will be looking to beat Dubois again on Saturday night at Wembley. It will be another huge occasion, the type of which Ali used to rise to every time. Usyk has done exactly the same throughout his career, and will expect to put on another masterclass to become undisputed champion once more.
The Guardian
4 hours ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Daniel Dubois' trainer denies ‘party' disrupted preparations before loss to Usyk
Daniel Dubois' trainer Don Charles has played down reports that a party at the fighter's home hours before his world heavyweight championship bout with Oleksandr Usyk at Wembley on Saturday night disrupted the boxer's preparation. Dubois was knocked out in the fifth round by Usyk and Charles does not dispute that his charge did not arrive until 8.20pm at the arena, 90 minutes before his scheduled ring walk time. Footage of what Charles describes as more of a 'cultural gathering' than a party emerged on Tuesday, but the trainer insisted that Dubois and his entourage arrived within their allocated time, and had ample time to undergo all pre-fight preparations necessary to face Usyk. 'It was more like a gathering, a cultural gathering,' said Charles. 'I don't think it was public, in fact it was the same [sort of] gathering that was done back in September last year when Daniel was going to fight Anthony Joshua on the fight day. The same thing occurred where a lot was made of the ring walk. He came in [at Wembley] like a gladiator, he was charged up.' Charles also brushed off suggestions of a disagreement between Dubois and his father Stanley. 'I wasn't there, but [talk of a disagreement] is all hearsay. I can assure you that wouldn't have happened.' Charles says the pre-fight 'ritual' organised by Dubois' father helped him. 'So call it a ritual, whatever, it worked and it helped Daniel to be in the mode, fight mode to be destructive,' explained the trainer. 'So the father replicated that again with the view that it should put Daniel in the right state of mind. So many boxers, if you speak to all boxers across the country, they'll all tell you they've all got their little things that they do on fight day to mentally be able to support them to go and do what they do. 'So it didn't work this time and that's why there's a lot of lies going on instead of focus on the actual fight, where the fight was fought, the way it panned out. And there's a lot of focus on this party, it was a gathering, a cultural gathering. 'The only way [the arrival time] would have an impact is if we didn't do all the preliminaries, the hand wraps, the stretches, the normal procedure. We were able to do everything with 10 minutes to spare for the TV, also for the ring walk,' he added. Despite being the underdog, some pundits had backed the British boxer to defeat Usyk, following his career being revitalised under the wing of Charles. Dubois secured three consecutive KO victories over Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua on his way to winning the IBF world heavyweight championship. Usyk dominated Saturday's fight, with all three judges having the Ukrainian winning coming into the fifth round, where Usyk closed the show with a looping left hand that floored Dubois, to crown himself undisputed heavyweight world champion. Charles has admitted there were things that they could have done better, but claimed it was too early to completely digest the fight, with the entire team still 'licking their wounds'. 'I'm in regular contact with [Daniel]. The young man's doing well,' said Charles. 'He's healthy, he's not harmed. He's sustained a terrible knockout and is just resting up. He's going to go on holiday in the next week or so. All we've done in the last two years since I've been working with him is go from camp to camp. Camp to camp is exhausting. I'm exhausted. Imagine how the fighter feels.' Charles praised fellow heavyweight Tyson Fury for publicly defending Dubois. Fury took to Instagram to implore people to stop referring to Dubois as a 'coward', insisting that 'there are no cowards in boxing', and that Dubois did his best. 'I'm glad someone like that is able to [support Dubois], a big figure like him,' he said. 'People listen to what Tyson says. I'm glad for him and I applaud him for standing up for Daniel too. Because what disappoints is a lot of these people putting these negative narratives out. A lot of them are retired boxers, some of them are current active boxers. And they too should know better than to try to put down a young fighter like him. You've just got to ask what is their motive, what are they trying to achieve?'
The Independent
4 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Joseph Parker's trainer reveals what he must do to beat Oleksandr Usyk
Joseph Parker 's trainer Andy Lee has explained why his fighter can be the man to end Oleksandr Usyk 's heavyweight dominance. Usyk became undisputed champion in boxing 's blue-riband division for the second time when he dismantled Daniel Dubois inside five rounds at Wembley on Saturday night. The Ukrainian great now holds two wins each over Dubois, Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, and sits atop the pound-for-pound list. It is currently unclear who his next challenger will be, but it could be the WBO interim champion Parker. The New Zealander is on a stunning run of form that has seen him beat Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang and Martin Bakole. Lee believes Parker is capable of pulling off the upset if he gets his title shot and revealed what he has been working on with him in the gym to prepare him for Usyk. 'What we work on in the gym is being ready at all times and body language in the ring, and keeping your feet in a position where you're always ready to punch,' Lee said on the Ariel x Ade Show. 'If you are resting and you are taking a break, you don't show it. You look as if you are ready to attack and you're ready to punch. That's basically what we do and that's what Usyk does. 'Usyk feeds off his opponent's breaks. When they look to take that little switch, he'll attack them. He can pressure, pressure, pressure, feint with his magic wand right hand and he just burns them up. They are mentally exhausted as much as physically. And then when he wants to rest, he can move and dip and dive under the big guys' punches.' Usyk has been the considerably smaller man in his fights against Dubois, Joshua and Fury, but that would not be the case if he shared a ring with Parker. Although Parker would be the heavier of the two, they are similar heights with comparable reaches. Lee feels these physical characteristics give Parker a better chance as he will be able to keep up with Usyk and not fade away down the final stretch. Lee added: 'Joe has a similar size to him, can fight at a similar pace. He's a crafty, clever boxer, Joseph. People don't realise how clever he is and how he can adjust. 'We won't be taking breaks and we'll just have to match him. I just love the fight. I think technically it's a great fight from two really good heavyweight boxers. One of them, an all-time great, and Joseph a Hall of Famer, and possibly an all-time great if he got the win over Usyk.
The Guardian
4 hours ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Daniel Dubois' trainer denies ‘party' disrupted preparations before loss to Usyk
Daniel Dubois' trainer Don Charles has played down reports that a party at the fighter's home hours before his world heavyweight championship bout with Oleksandr Usyk at Wembley on Saturday night disrupted the boxer's preparation. Dubois was knocked out in the fifth round by Usyk and Charles does not dispute that his charge did not arrive until 8.20pm at the arena, 90 minutes before his scheduled ring walk time. Footage of what Charles describes as more of a 'cultural gathering' than a party emerged on Tuesday, but the trainer insisted that Dubois and his entourage arrived within their allocated time, and had ample time to undergo all pre-fight preparations necessary to face Usyk. 'It was more like a gathering, a cultural gathering,' said Charles. 'I don't think it was public, in fact it was the same [sort of] gathering that was done back in September last year when Daniel was going to fight Anthony Joshua on the fight day. The same thing occurred where a lot was made of the ring walk. He came in [at Wembley] like a gladiator, he was charged up.' Charles also brushed off suggestions of a disagreement between Dubois and his father Stanley. 'I wasn't there, but [talk of a disagreement] is all hearsay. I can assure you that wouldn't have happened.' Charles says the pre-fight 'ritual' organised by Dubois' father helped him. 'So call it a ritual, whatever, it worked and it helped Daniel to be in the mode, fight mode to be destructive,' explained the trainer. 'So the father replicated that again with the view that it should put Daniel in the right state of mind. So many boxers, if you speak to all boxers across the country, they'll all tell you they've all got their little things that they do on fight day to mentally be able to support them to go and do what they do. 'So it didn't work this time and that's why there's a lot of lies going on instead of focus on the actual fight, where the fight was fought, the way it panned out. And there's a lot of focus on this party, it was a gathering, a cultural gathering. 'The only way [the arrival time] would have an impact is if we didn't do all the preliminaries, the hand wraps, the stretches, the normal procedure. We were able to do everything with 10 minutes to spare for the TV, also for the ring walk,' he added. Despite being the underdog, some pundits had backed the British boxer to defeat Usyk, following his career being revitalised under the wing of Charles. Dubois secured three consecutive KO victories over Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua on his way to winning the IBF world heavyweight championship. Usyk dominated Saturday's fight, with all three judges having the Ukrainian winning coming into the fifth round, where Usyk closed the show with a looping left hand that floored Dubois, to crown himself undisputed heavyweight world champion. Charles has admitted there were things that they could have done better, but claimed it was too early to completely digest the fight, with the entire team still 'licking their wounds'. 'I'm in regular contact with [Daniel]. The young man's doing well,' said Charles. 'He's healthy, he's not harmed. He's sustained a terrible knockout and is just resting up. He's going to go on holiday in the next week or so. All we've done in the last two years since I've been working with him is go from camp to camp. Camp to camp is exhausting. I'm exhausted. Imagine how the fighter feels.' Charles praised fellow heavyweight Tyson Fury for publicly defending Dubois. Fury took to Instagram to implore people to stop referring to Dubois as a 'coward', insisting that 'there are no cowards in boxing', and that Dubois did his best. 'I'm glad someone like that is able to [support Dubois], a big figure like him,' he said. 'People listen to what Tyson says. I'm glad for him and I applaud him for standing up for Daniel too. Because what disappoints is a lot of these people putting these negative narratives out. A lot of them are retired boxers, some of them are current active boxers. And they too should know better than to try to put down a young fighter like him. You've just got to ask what is their motive, what are they trying to achieve?'
