The mighty Oleksandr Usyk is, yet again, the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world as he decisively defeated Daniel Dubois in the fifth round after a display as clinical as it was brutal. At the age of 38, Usyk outclassed and outfought his British rival, who is 11 years his junior, to establish himself definitively as the best heavyweight, so far, of the 21st century.
The end was as conclusive as it was crushing. A sharp combination set up an opening for Usyk’s crunching right hook. Dubois crumpled to the canvas then, bravely, he rose unsteadily to his feet. But the outcome had already been decided. Usyk moved in with shark-like speed and stealth. A shuddering overhead left detonated against the already listing head of Dubois who fell heavily to the canvas, his gumshield spitting helplessly from his mouth.
The referee began his count but even before he could reach 10 a white towel fluttered from Dubois’ corner. But the knockout was complete and the culmination of another masterclass by Usyk who, in only his eighth fight as a heavyweight, having moved up from cruiserweight, sealed his domination of boxing’s flagship division.
Usyk raised his arms high as Dubois managed the slow, bleak walk back to the refuge of his shocked team. The champion then sank down on his knees on the blue canvas, covering his face with the gloves as the magnitude of his brilliant performance sank in. Usyk has now regained the IBF title which boxing politics had taken from him and gifted to Dubois last year. That largely meaningless trinket joins the WBA, WBC and WBO baubles which Usyk already owns and restores his status as the unanimous king of the heavyweight division – a position he first achieved 14 months ago when beating Tyson Fury. Dubois joins both Fury and Anthony Joshua in having suffered successive defeats by the Ukrainian wizard.
Daniel Dubois on the canvas in the fifth round. Photograph: Richard Pelham/Getty Images
Before he left the dressing room to start the fight Dubois was embraced by his father, Stan, who has exerted such a controlling influence over his career while always predicting that he would one day become the dominant heavyweight on the planet. Usyk, however, awaited.
Dubois walked to the ring first as the words “It’s my redemption story” were emblazoned across the screens inside Wembley. By the time he reached the entrance to the arena he was moving at a fast lick, almost breaking into a little jog at one point, looking full of menacing intent. Dennis Brown’s old-school reggae classic, Want To Be No General, boomed around him.
At the first sight of the great Ukrainian, chants of “U-syk … U-syk … U-syk” reverberated around Wembley as he began his far more stately march to the ring. An eerie version of Ave Maria accompanied him. His face was etched in concentration and determination until, climbing over the ropes, he raised his right arm high. He was kissed and hugged by his cornermen just before the first bell.
Usyk landed the first jabs as he showed his readiness to match Dubois in an immediate desire to control the centre of the ring. Boxing out of his usual southpaw stance, Usyk snaked out his crisp right jab, clipping Dubois cleanly. But with 30 seconds left in the round Dubois backed up Usyk in his corner. Usyk recognised the danger and managed to ghost away and then detonate a hard left against Dubois’ head.
Oleksandr Usyk lands the knockout blow on Daniel Dubois. Photograph: Andrew Couldridge/Action Images/Reuters
In the second round, sweat rolled down Dubois’ back as Usyk ducked under a scything right and snapped back his rival’s head with a beautiful straight left. Dubois’ corner urged him to impose himself and he closed the distance much more successfully in the third – only for Usyk, like a savage scientist, to nail him with punches as jolting as they were precise.
Usyk was locked in, watchful yet spiteful, as he made sprays of sweat fly from the shaven head of Dubois. He only grimaced when late in the fourth round Dubois landed to the body and Usyk made a slight gesture to indicate that it had been close to the beltline. But the decisive end was imminent.
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Victory for Usyk is another timely boost to Ukraine and proved once more that the boxer has the fighting aptitude to match his inspirational status in his beleaguered country. During the buildup to this fight, Usyk had spoken strongly against Vladimir Putin and invited Donald Trump to live in his house near Kyiv for one week so that the US president could finally understand the relentless brutality of the Russian onslaught
Daniel Dubois (left) and Oleksandr Usyk in action at Wembley. Photograph: Bradley Collyer/PA
Dubois was an obviously more limited opponent in comparison with real life conflict but Usyk showed again that he is a master of the ring. There had been fevered speculation among Dubois’ backers that his relative youth, more imposing physical attributes and considerable power would be enough to result in the first defeat of Usyk’s decorated professional career – which also includes him becoming the undisputed cruiserweight champion of the world.
Dubois appeared to be booming with an ambition and conviction which meant he had left behind the callow and deeply reserved young man who had once been so awkward outside the ring. A run of three impressive wins, culminating in a knockout of Joshua in this same stadium last September, had apparently transformed Dubois.
But Usyk was simply too skilled, too smart and too seasoned for his younger rival. He remains the king of the hill, the most impressive man in boxing, and a symbol of soaring hope and searing defiance to Ukraine. The rest of us on a raucous night at Wembley are just lucky to have seen another burst of Usyk’s majesty.