Usyk Knocks Out Dubois Again

This Saturday saw the highly anticipated rematch between unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs)—holder of the WBC, WBA, and WBO titles—and IBF titleholder Daniel Dubois (22-3, 21 KOs). In their first encounter, the British fighter shocked everyone by dropping Usyk with a brutal body shot. However, the punch was ruled a low blow, granting the Ukrainian champion a five-minute recovery window. Usyk capitalized on the opportunity and stopped Dubois in the ninth round.

Since that controversial bout, Dubois remained undefeated with wins over Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic, and Anthony Joshua. Usyk, for his part, returned to the ring with back-to-back victories over the legendary Tyson Fury.

Inside the iconic Wembley Stadium, Dubois came out aggressive, applying pressure early and backing the unified champ against the ropes several times. Usyk, however, kept his composure, relying on his counter left hand. The tactic paid off in the fifth round: following a furious exchange, Usyk landed a crisp right hook that sent Dubois to the canvas. The Ukrainian sealed the deal moments later with a devastating straight left.

With this win, Usyk becomes the undisputed heavyweight champion for the second time in his career, adding Dubois’s IBF belt to his collection. Now 38 years old, it remains to be seen whether he’ll continue his boxing journey. Should he choose to fight on, a clash with Joseph Parker—who’s expressed interest in a unification bout—could be on the horizon.