Latest news with #champion
CBC
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
7 questions with Luguentz Dort, Montreal's recently crowned NBA champion
From celebrating his recent feat to playing with his dogs, the Oklahoma City Thunder forward opens up about what he's experiencing as an NBA champion.
The Sun
5 hours ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Oleksandr Usyk ordered to face rare ‘heavyweight who can cause him problems' following brutal Dubois KO
FANS believe that Oleksandr Usyk will come up against the one heavyweight he can "cause him problems." The Ukrainian fighter further punched his name in boxing history with his second KO win over Daniel Dubois on the weekend. 3 3 3 Usyk, 38, chinned the Brit in the fifth round to become the three-time undisputed champion of the world. He is now on the lookout for his next opponent and fans are convinced of who it should be. Usyk has dismantled British boxing with devastating wins over Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and now Dubois. But he has been ordered to look further afield for his next entry into the ring. Fans are demanding that Usyk take on Kiwi fighter Joshua Parker, as he is the only remaining boxer who could challenge him. One posted: "Joseph Parker is the only heavyweight aside Fury who can give Usyk some problems, but Usyk still wins by stoppage, maybe." A second wrote: "Uysk can't win on stoppage. USYK on point. Parker will never quit." A third commented: "This would be a good fight." A fourth said: "Parker has earned his shot. And I genuinely believe Parker is the best person to give Usyk an actual tough fight." Another added: "Parker might just be Usyk's boogeyman. Parker has that 'thing' in him." Usyk vs Dubois round by round as brutal knockout cements Ukrainian's place in history OLEKSANDR USYK cemented his name in the list of all-time boxing greats as he became a three-time undisputed champion with a fifth round knockout win over Daniel Dubois. Usyk dropped Dubois multiple times as he put any doubts about his first win over the Brit to bed by cementing the repeat and avoiding the revenge. Here, SunSport's Jack Figg gives his round-by-round verdict... ROUND ONE Usyk looks light on his toes, swaying side to side, Dubois plants his feet and walks forward. Stiff jab from Usyk appears to almost wake Dubois up and the Brit responds with a one-two. Usyk searches to the body with a left, blocks a right hand from Dubois and ends the round with a menacing combo. Usyk 10 Dubois 9 ROUND TWO Dubois lunges in with a right hand, Usyk expertly takes half a step back and responds with a counter left. Another right misses from Dubois and he takes a left cross which has him on shaky legs. Already Usyk is finding his rhythm, making Dubois miss and certainly making him pay. Usyk 10 Dubois 9 (Usyk 20 Dubois 18) ROUND THREE Usyk staggers back after a right hand from Dubois - maybe more off balance than hurt. Dubois charges forward with a left hook, right hand but Usyk covers up well. Huge left hook lands on the button from Usyk, sweat sprays off Dubois face. Usyk 10 Dubois 9 (Usyk 30 Dubois 27) ROUND FOUR Right uppercut lands on Usyk's belt-line in a genuine case of dejavu from low-blow gate in their first fight. Dubois traps Usyk in the corner, lands a right but the Ukrainian legend slips off before any troubling damage can be done. Left hand lands for Usyk but Dubois grabs on and closes the distance, smart defence to cap off his best round so far. Usyk 9 Dubois 10 (Usyk 39 Dubois 37) ROUND FIVE Right hook followed by a left hand lands for Usyk has Dubois teetering backwards. Dubois comes forward, charging at Usyk and the two trade off in the corner but DOWN GOES DUBOIS after a counter right hook. He makes it to his feet but is dropped with another left hook and the fight is over! Dubois fails to beat the count and Usyk is once again undisputed heavyweight world champion. Usyk wins by KO And fans will be pleased to discover that Usyk has reportedly been ordered to fight Parker by the WBO. He will have to defend his WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO heavyweight world titles against the New Zealander. The two fighters have 30 days to agree on a deal, and then there will be bids for the purse. Meanwhile, after beating Dubois, Usyk had a press conference in stitches as he named his left hook that won him the fight. He said: "Left hook is like this [imitates a punch]. "And that [is] Ivan. It's a Ukrainian name. Ivan is like a big guy who lives in a village who works. "'What is your name?' [In a heavy voice] 'My name is Ivan'. "It's hard, hard punch. Yeah, Ivan." The undefeated star revealed he wants to spend some time with his family before deciding on his next match. He added: "I don't want anything next, this is enough. I want to rest now. I want to get home to my family and wife and my children. "I want to rest now but maybe - in two or three months - actually no, just rest."
The Independent
a day ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Usyk-Dubois 2 view from the stands: The night Wembley worshipped an all-time great
The boxing world was watching on Saturday night as Oleksandr Usyk restored his status as undisputed heavyweight champion of the world by knocking out Daniel Dubois in front of a ravenous Wembley Stadium. In recent years my live boxing experience has taken me ringside for world title fights, but this time around I was in the stands to soak up the atmosphere on a historic evening, one where Usyk staked his claim as a true great of the sport. Whilst the undercard lacked big names, I was still going to watch the fights I had paid for, especially as the card only contained six bouts. To start, Georgian Olympian Lasha Guruli forced James Francis to retire in the fifth round in what proved to be the only stoppage of the undercard. After briefly retreating to the concourse to equip a poncho after a shower broke out, I braved the wet to watch Aadam Hamed, son of Prince Naseem, improve to 6-0 over Argentinian journeyman Ezequiel Gregores. The main noise that filled Wembley was chattering, although MC Thomas Treiber's voice bounced off the empty tiers from time to time. There were hints throughout the evening that there was a massive Ukrainian contingent. Even when the stadium was still filling up, there were cheers every time Ukraine was mentioned. Vladyslav Sirenko was the first of three fighters from Ukraine in action, and despite the support of his countrymen in attendance, the heavyweight was comfortably defeated by Solomon Dacres. There were clusters of fans chanting ' Lapin, Lapin, Lapin ' when Team Usyk-backed Daniel Lapin took to the ring to face Lewis Edmondson shortly after. That fight produced a few eyebrow-raising incidents. Late on in the contest Lapin twice spilled out of the ring, sprawled across the ropes, drawing 'oohs' from the crowd. Despite those confusing incidents that warranted little more than a talking to for both fighters, the Ukrainian managed to squeeze past Edmondson, a majority decision win that hinged on two rounds going in Lapin's favour. Two-time world champion Lawrence Okolie was the biggest draw on the undercard, his bout against former Dubois opponent Kevin Lerena the chief support for the evening. We weren't to know in the stands but a torn bicep for Okolie in the first round limited the former WBO cruiserweight titleholder, although he used his 30lbs advantage of Lerena to good effect. Okolie has garnered a reputation for clinching, and whilst it was reduced compared to some of his previous fights, there was little action. But of course, the entire card had been sold on the strength of the main event, and that proved as thousands flowed in to fill the home of football. Any fears of noticeable patches of empty seats quickly dissipated as Okolie's sluggish win over Lerena came to a close. What had been a lull in-between previous fights had now been hijacked to ramp up the atmosphere, culminating in the traditional bellowing of Sweet Caroline. By the time the hype machine had reached its zenith, promo videos and walk-on songs in full effect, Wembley was a barrage of sound and light. Fireworks lit up the night sky as the upper tiers became filled with stars; the flashes of people's phones as they recorded as many memories as possible. At this point Michael Buffer had been wheeled out, the decibel-dense air muffling his words, despite the echoing effect of the speakers. The key details came through; undisputed heavyweight champion of the world status was on the line if anyone was still in doubt. Heading into the fight Usyk was the clear favourite, whilst Dubois was yet to have secured anything resembling a cult following amongst the British boxing public. As such, it was interesting to see which fighter the crowd would back – the Ukrainian well-respected for his ability, or the Londoner that not many had taken to in the same way that Britain adores Anthony Joshua or Tyson Fury. There was a healthy noise made for Dubois during his walk to the ring, but confirmation of who Wembley was supporting was made clear when Usyk started his approach. Chants of ' Usyk, Usyk, Usyk ' commanded the atmosphere, although often there were spells of ' Oh, Daniel Dubois ' to the White Stripes' Seven Nation Army, a sporting staple that has been altered to fit the names of fighters all over the UK. The national anthems had revealed how many Ukrainians were there, a moving rendition that did not come close to generating as much noise as God Save the King, highlighting that although Usyk enjoyed more support from the crowd, it was still majority British in Wembley. There was now a realisation that the main event was almost upon us. What had previously been a mere buzz sparked into a cacophony of excitement. MC Buffer just about cut through the noise with his iconic 'LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLEEEEE!' Cheers and shouts matched the sound of the opening bell. Watching from the stands was a stark reminder that depending on your angle, you could see a very different fight. From where I was sat, it seemed like Dubois was landing more punches, his pressure keeping his opponent at bay, but having watched the fight back Usyk's brilliance becomes more apparent. But no matter where you were in the stadium, it was impossible to miss the huge counter punches that Usyk landed in every round, seemingly identical blows that caught Dubois flush on the face. Left hook, bang. If there was an argument for Dubois taking the first two rounds, it had disappeared by the third. Not only was Usyk finding that same punch, but he was hurting Dubois. To the Brit's credit, there were moments that might have wobbled lesser foes, but not Usyk. Any damage Dubois tried to dish out was quickly dismissed, no finer example than the exchange that heralded the end of the contest. Dubois put his foot down, releasing a combination of punches towards Usyk's body. Our section of Wembley was on their balls of their feet, anticipating a knockdown. One would arrive, but it came from Usyk – the Ukrainian beckoning Dubois to walk into yet another left. Now we were properly on our feet, exclaiming, shouting, any form of creating pure noise. Even as Dubois got back up, no one sat back down, such was the expectation of a finishing blow being landed. Usyk did not disappoint, realising that his clinical display would enable him to end things early. Action was resumed, before one final left hook sent Dubois right back to the canvas. Questions over Dubois 'quitting' aside, Wembley knew it was over. The way Dubois folded over was sickening; although that thought was overcrowded by the appreciation of Usyk's skill. There was no way Dubois was beating the count, propped up but slumped as the referee waved it off. From where I was sat, I did not see the Dubois corner throw in the towel, but it was immaterial. Although Usyk was expected to win, the method of victory, and its timing, was still shocking. This was meant to be the new and improved Daniel 'Dynamite' Dubois, but after being stopped in the ninth round by Usyk in 2023, his night was over by the fifth at Wembley. If one man had improved, or at least evolved, it was Usyk. Heading into the ring as a 38-year-old, speculation in the build-up hinged on the Olympic gold medallist declining due to age, just as any fighter does. This was a different Usyk, the 'White Rabbit' proving that he can also be an elite counter-puncher when the situation calls for it. Usyk's age had also prompted suggestions that he would be retiring sooner rather than later, but the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world implied otherwise. In the ring he bellowed: '38 is a young guy, remember. 38, it's only the start!' Perhaps Saturday night was just the first of many times Wembley worships Oleksandr Usyk. 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.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Tom Aspinall to finally defend UFC heavyweight title as next opponent revealed
Tom Aspinall is finally getting back in the Octagon after his first defence as undisputed UFC heavyweight champion was confirmed. Aspinall had been waiting to unify the heavyweight belts in a mouth-watering clash against Jon Jones, only for the pound-for-pound great to stall over booking the fight for close to two years. That prolonged saga then came to a deflating end when Jones' retirement was announced by Dana White following UFC Baku. The development officially made Aspinall the king of heavyweight and allowed him to finally move on from Jones, turning focus to the rest of the division. His first challenge will come on 25 October against French star Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi. Gane was once also dubbed as heavyweight's 'next big thing' before being made quick work of in Jones' first fight in the division back in March 2023. Gane has since underwhelmed in the cage despite winning his last two fights, with his most recent victory over Alexander Volkov surrounded by contention. Aspinall, meanwhile, has looked near-unstoppable during his supersonic rise to the top, knocking out highly-rated Sergei Pavlovich to win interim gold before avenging his freak injury loss to Curtis Blaydes - his only title defence while he played the waiting game for Jones. Aspinall is closing in on one year since his last fight but is now intent on becoming one of the most active champions in the UFC, looking to steamroll the heavyweight division after years of being held hostage by Jones. As the bout is happening in Abu Dhabi, fans in the UK will not have to stay up until the early hours of Sunday morning to watch Aspinall's return, with the main event set to kick off on the Saturday evening. The announcement comes as part of a triple-reveal of title fights by the UFC. Merab Dvalishvili will go to battle with Cory Sandhagen over the Georgian's bantamweight title at UFC 320 on 4 October, while Alex Pereira will look to regain his light heavyweight strap from Magomed Ankalaev. Khalil Rountree will also fight Jiri Prochazka at the same event - a battle of top contenders at 205lbs.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The ultimate pushy parent? Meet Daniel Dubois' 'crazy taskmaster' dad, who made his son do BRUTAL workouts as a child, 'made millions selling posters' as a market trader, and threw lavish party before Oleksandr Usyk fight
Name us a more fascinating father in boxing than Daniel Dubois ' dad and we'll show you a flying pig. Stanley Dubois - real name Dave - is under the cosh from boxing fans after throwing a lavish 70-person party at his Essex mansion just hours before his son's defeat by Oleksandr Usyk in the biggest fight of his career. How could Stanley, the boxing community wonders, expect Daniel to make merry with complete strangers, a misstep which saw him arrive later than ideal and lose his parking spot at Wembley? It is a question only Stanley and Daniel can answer. The Times broke the initial report of the party, though it remains unclear to what extent the boxer consented to it going ahead. But it is also worth asking: where would Dubois have been without his father in the first place? Dynamite has called his dad a 'legend' and a 'prophet,' crediting him for his rise in the brutal arenas of boxing. Stanley says he had a vision before Daniel was born that he would be a champion. That much has come true - the London-born bone crusher went into Saturday's bout holding the IBF title, though he was unable to unite the belts. 'Before he was born I had a vision that he would become a world champion boxer,' he told The Times this year. 'Then I saw that he had a lot of muscle and so I said to myself, I'm going to get him into the game as soon as I can. I was training him up by the time he was four years old. 'A lot of people don't have the vision I have. When you do have one, as Malcolm X did or any great leader, it comes from an outside force. It doesn't come from your mother, your father — it comes from God.' He took Daniel to his first boxing gym aged nine and would have him study VHS tapes of Frank Bruno and Lennox Lewis - who was the last British unified heavyweight world champion - to hone his craft. Stanley has had 11 kids via two marriages and homeschooled them from a council flat in Deptford, southeast London. Breakfast wasn't Golden Nuggets or Coco Pops. Daniel's daily morning palette was an entire chicken. But he wasn't just fed with protein, he was nourished with the word of God. In the living room, the children would recite the first verse of Psalm 144: 'Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who strengthens my hands for war and my fingers for battle.' Alongside that, hours of push-ups. Daniel used to do his with his fists closed - he still has the scars to this day - for up to three hours at a time. There would be no food or drink until they had finished. When he was five years old, he broke the world record for the most consecutive push-ups completed by a child at that age. 'You can do amazing things in a stable like where Jesus was born,' Stanley once said. Don Charles, Dubois' trainer, holds this education in high esteem. 'It was very tribal. Stanley Dubois is perceived within the boxing fraternity as this crazy, hard taskmaster,' he told The Guardian. 'He is – but there's a method to that madness. It turned out to be a genius move as it motivated Daniel.' Daniel isn't the only bruiser to graduate from his father's school of combat. His sister Caroline is the WBC lightweight champion, his brother prince had some amateur fights, while his brother Solomon often trains with Daniel. Given all of this, you'd expect Stanley to have some sort of background in the sport. Not so. In fact, he actively disliked boxing when he was growing up. 'I got punched in the nose once and never went back,' he said. Stanley was born in west London to a pair of Grenadian immigrants. By 16, he was the father of twins and homeless. This was no salubrious upbringing. His bed for the night was the hard floor of a laundrette. What he did have was an entrepreneurial spirit. The details are hard to independently verify, but Stanley picked himself out of the doldrums with one of the old-fashioned routes up the social ladder - by becoming a market trader. Posters were his game. London, New York, and the Caribbean were his playground. He claims that by age 23, he was the most successful street trader in the world, forking in millions. 'We were taking ten grand every Sunday at Camden Market,' he said in a different interview with The Times. His first week in New York raked in $40,000. 'I had the gift of the gab back then. There was no one in New York taking money like me.' An extraterrestrial-themed poster banked him a fortune. 'I had a few artists draw me some images and I came out with a poster called, "Take me to your dealer." 'It was an alien landing on earth passing over a Rizla, and it just blew up. That poster sold millions because people started wholesaling from me. I sold 80,000 copies to someone in France.' The profit margins were reportedly so good, at least according to him, that you wonder why more people don't go into making posters. Each one, he says, cost just 5p to produce but sold for £2 - off print runs of 2,000. While he was no boxer himself, Stanley maintains that their ancestry holds the key. One such forebear, Silvia Dubois, was an 18th-century slave and bare-knuckle boxer in New Jersey. A single punch almost killed her slave mistress and cost her her life - but instead she was let free. Often boxers tell us stories of pent-up aggression, of taking out their frustrations with the world on the bags in the gym to keep themselves from darker pursuits. When he was five years old he broke the world record for the most consecutive push-ups completed by a child at that age Daniel describes a different childhood - he says that when he wasn't boxing, he was distracting himself with other activities such as chess, board games, and siwmming. Father Charles felt it was too dangerous to have his kids grow up in schools and hanging around on the streets - he cites the dangers of growing up in London, particularly for a family of their background, as a motive for raising his kids behind closed doors. Their few ventures into the public arena often consisted of a boxing gym trip. he did a circuit of amateur clubs in London: 'Repton, Dale Youth, Lynn, West Ham, Fisher and Islington.' Eventually it made him a British amateur champion. A commonwealth titlist. Then a professional with a record of 22 wins from 25 fights, including 21 knockouts. Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic, Anthony Joshua, all dispatched by his devastating right hand. To this day, while Dubois has a fleet of trainers around him, his dad remains influential. And whoever he is preparing for, his father will come out with the same motivational line: Your opponent is working harder than you. Daniel's cloistered upbringing has an evident impact on his life even today. His phone, it is understood, does not even have the internet on it. Does he even know videos of his dad's party were leaked? Does he even care that people are talking about it? For all of the reaction on social media to the revelry, which has seen Stanley painted as some sort of traitor to the British boxing establishment, the man who jeopardised our chance to have a unified heavyweight champion again, Daniel's opinion of his father is the polar opposite. We return to the question of where he would have been without Stanley, and Dynamite's answer is crystal clear. Father Dubois says he made millions from being a market trader, selling cheap posters Sadly Daniel could not match Usyk in the ring, losing to the Ukrainian 11 years his senior 'I wouldn't be here without him,' he told Boxing News. '[My upbringing has] prepared and strengthened me. Sometimes you have to go through hell to get to paradise.'
