Oleksandr Usyk Survives Fifth Round Scare and Stops Daniel Dubois

Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) was last seen in the ring on August 20, 2022, when he defeated Anthony Joshua in their rematch and retained his WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles while winning the Ring heavyweight title. His opponent tonight was Daniel Dubois (19-2, 18 KOs), who looked to cause an Andy Ruiz-esque type upset.

Usyk was extremely impressive in both fights against Joshua, where Dubois will feel he has a lot to prove after his unconvincing win against Kevin Lerena, where he was dropped three times in the first round before scoring a TKO victory in the third round.

Can Dubois shock the boxing world and dethrone the Ukrainian legend? Or will Usyk come through this fight and build towards an undisputed showdown against Tyson Fury?

Oleksandr Usyk Survives Scare and Stops Daniel Dubois in Impressive Fashion

OLEKSANDR USYK BEATS DANIEL DUBOIS IN ROUND 9️⃣!#UsykDubois pic.twitter.com/GIJut9F5VY

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 26, 2023

Usyk Stops Dubois in Ninth Round

Round one began quite cagey, with both fighters looking to figure their opponent out. Usyk looked quicker to the jab, and in general, with Dubois looking slower and more ponderous. Round two continued in the same vein as the first, with Usyk finding plenty of success with his lead jab and following through with eye-catching left hands.

The third round finally saw Dubois get a little closer – but Usyk’s ring IQ ensured he evaded any dangerous punches while still finding a home for his jab and keeping Dubois on the back foot for the round. Round four finally saw some aggression from Dubois, but Usyk’s exceptional footwork ensured he avoided danger. The fifth round saw Dubois land a heavy body shot on Usyk, which sent the Ukrainian crashing to the canvas, only for the blow to be deemed low, despite replays suggesting it was right on the belt line. Dubois was the aggressor for most of the round before Usyk landed some impressive shots from a variety of angles, which seemed to bamboozle his opponent and highlight the resilience of the Ukrainian.

Round seven picked up after a quieter previous round. Usyk let his hands go to great effect, landing smart combinations, while showcasing his nimble footwork to stay out of danger. Round eight saw some smart work from Usyk after he absorbed a heavy right hand from the British fighter before the Ukrainian superstar landed a beautiful combination at the end of the round which forced Dubois to take a knee.

Usyk noticeably upped the pace of the fight in the next round and seemed to ground Dubois down – before the referee waved off the fight following another brilliant combination from Usyk, with the Ukrainian retaining his titles via a ninth-round stoppage.

Post Fight Quotes

In the post-fight interview, when asked how he was feeling, Usyk exclaimed: “I feel good.” The Ukrainian superstar went on to express his appreciation for the Ukrainian army. 

He was also asked about the fifth-round controversy and the power of Dubois: “Boxing is a tough sport,” and added that the only place he felt the power of the British fighter was “in my balls.” He was finally quizzed on a potential fight with Tyson Fury and defiantly said: “I’m ready tomorrow.“

“I think that landed and I’ve been cheated out of victory tonight. What else can I say?” Dubois said in his post-fight when asked about the fifth-round low blow.

“I am sure there will be an order of a rematch.” were the words of promoter Frank Warren.