WBA regular heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois (19-1, 18 KOs) came back from the dead to stop Kevin Lerena (28-2, 14 KOs) in round three on Saturday night in the Fury-Chisora co-feature at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
Lerena surprisingly dropped 16:1 Dubois three times in round one and Dubois was saved by the bell! Then Lerena inexplicably took his foot off the gas pedal in round two, letting Dubois clear his head. Dubois took full advantage of that courtesy and turned the tables in round three. He dropped Lerena and then savagely smashed him into the ropes at the bell. The ropes held up Lerena and a count started, but referee Howard Foster waved it off.
The bell actually rang nine seconds early in round one helping Dubois. Conversely, Lerena was on his feet after the bell rang in round three, but wasn’t given the minute between rounds to recover.
Dubois was out! He was done! Finished! Lerena blew the biggest opportunity by not staying on top and attacking Dubois.
Howard Foster should be banned for life from boxing. He is an absolute disgrace.
I would say Lerena was screwed by the round ending early. But it was weird that he (Lerena) didn’t throw nor follow up in rds 2-3. Strange.
Seemed like a very obvious right leg issue with Dubois…totally missed by the crack announce team.
He injured his leg when he got knocked down by Lerena….
This looked staged, why would Lerena stop going after him.
Makes no sense, they need to do investigation
This was the first thing I thought too…. Dubois looked done and dusted and Larena completely stopped throwing punches. How many punches did he throw in rounds 2 and 3? If there was ever a fixed fight, this has all the hallmarks. It might not be as absurd as Scott-Wilder, but it sure looked dubious.
He fights like that but Lerena did throw the fight away .much respect to DDD
Massive opportunity missed by Lerena. One or two solid punches were all that was needed! Credit to Dubois for regaining his composure, getting to his boxing, and then finding the straight right. A totally weird fight.
Lol fixed fight, fixed referee. Dubois gets hit way too easy though
This fight should’ve been stopped in Round 1. Dubois should thank whatever God he prays to for that win. This guy’s a “World Champion?”
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
There is ONLY One GOD and that is The Creator Of The Universe, The Creator of man, The one and Only God Almighty.
That’s true God bless
Lol….. god… sure.
And who created God?
And your point is? God had nothing to do with this. It was all about “The Almighty Dollar”
Does your God comment cover all the religions or just one?
Yes … Wayne’s World!
Lerena didn’t get dropped a second time but was against the ropes taking a beating. He blew his chances after the first round.
First time Kevin has fought a boxer ranked in the top10
You know what is even more pathetic? That Dubois got dropped by a light punching smaller cruiserweight/heavyweight to began with.
Joe Joyce’s stock should drop too after this crap, too. This makes his win over DDD less impressive.
Why on God’s green Earth is Howard Foster allowed to referee? Howard Foster is the same crooked ref who prematurely stopped George Groves against Carl Froch, where he put Groves in a headlock. Howard Foster is an abomination. He is clearly owned by some British Boxing Mob.
I would not be surprised if Lerena took a dive.
DDD got a triple F for this performance. DDD is a fraud.
Looked dodgy
That was a dodgy bell.
DDD for sure is a nice bloke. I like him. What can be said after this fight? I do not know.
And I don’ t mean to be rude. I don’t know how DDD should continue from here? New team, new trainer, new everything? Give it some time. Maybe.
I know that boxing is not worth your health. Consider that already now.
Wardley would smoke Dubois. He punches just as hard, and has a way better chin.
A blow to the top of the head is quite far from the chin
Funny you saying that, are you not one of those who claim that Joshua is chinny after getting punch in the temple by big punching heavy Ruiz? The South African is actually a cruiser with a 48%ko ratio.
I can’t see Dubois redeeming himself after that truly awful performance. I hate to say it’s over because I was a big fan, but it is!
He’s still a top HW. If you didn’t notice, it’s a terrible division so he fits right in.
That fight was fixed. Lerena was not in there to win. Early bell for Round 1 was suss but Lerena NOT going after Dubios when he had him in big trouble stinks to high heaven. The ref was a disgrace who was clearly in there to help Dubois.
That was….. interesting. It seems Dubious left everything in the gym. Perhaps he was slapped around a bit too hard during sparring and still feels the effect. Just looked off. Lerena had it in the bag, but made the mistake of following a puncher around. Good lesson for both.
Do the WBA not have a three-knockdown rule, automatic stoppage?
This is boxing. Rules? Rules? We don nid no stinkin rules!
After watching the rounds it really looked like a leg issue was the biggest issue DD had here. He got staggered and went down the first time but didn’t look terribly hurt and after that it looked like an injury was the biggest obstacle. He stayed composed and the stoppage was fair as Lerena was seriously hurt after the uppercut combo.
“The bell actually rang nine seconds early in round one helping Dubois. Conversely, Lerena was on his feet after the bell rang in round three, but wasn’t given the minute between rounds to recover.”
In other words the fight was fixed. The usual.
I didn’t watch the fight, I am just reading the article and the comments but it seems unforgivable to end a round 9 seconds early. The timekeeper only has that job. We are not back in ancient times with an hourglass here. Ridiculous. I think the word “fixed” gets thrown around too often in boxing circles, and I didn’t see it but this fight sounds like it deserves some suspicion.
” I think the word “fixed” gets thrown around too often in boxing circles”
And I think the word “fixed” gets thrown around far too infrequently in crooked boxing.
I guess the 3 knockdown rule was not in effect. Even when it is supposed to be, I see referee’s overlook it all the time. I sit there and think to myself “do they not know about this rule?” Boxing is the one sport where you get to make the rules up as you go and that seems to be totally ok…I can’t picture Dubois ever being a world champion, then again I could say that about a lot of former world champions, chiefly John “QuietMan” Ruiz. Andy Ruiz I definitely saw as a future champion the first time I saw his blubbery 300lb ass come out guns blazing in his 3rd pro fight!
Three knockdown rule is a state rule-most states don’t have it. Dumb rule anyway-possible to be knocked down and still not be in serious trouble.
I didn’t see this fight, but it sounds like Lerena punched himself out in the first round. This gave Dubois the opportunity to clear his head and capitalize. Lerena had nothing left and couldn’t defend.
Larena is from my country. I know him. He is super fit and did not punched him self out. After he dropped Daniel 3 times in the 1st round, I think he did not finish the job, because of a lack of experience. The fight was his to take, against all odds. Next time he should be much wiser.
They rang the bell early for Joshua snd for Dubois…..nothing will be done about. This is obvious cheating and the result should be changed to a NC.
UK boxing is corrupt. Overseas fighters should think twice before coming to the UK to fight.
I totally agree!
More British Shenanigans and their quick stoppage pretty much ruined a good fight, and the b******* timekeeper probably saved Dubois from getting knocked out. That’s not a good look for the Brit and he will never make it to the top of this division. Heavyweights will be gunning for his chin now.
Dynamite is more like a matchstick
I would not be surprised if it was found out that Warren paid this guy to lose.
In England are you really surprised guy’s ?
Ringing the bell 10 seconds early in a fight like this seems like grounds for a no-contest ruling if disputed.
The opponent was smiling and his corner was not arguing..that is the fishy part..definitely gave him cash either before the fight (he really didn’t do much to hurt dubois in the first round..may have been an accident landing to the temple) or between rounds
bad fight fake fight bad for heavyweight boxing who is to blame for that mess dubois the worst heavy out there i dont think he knew they declared him the winner
Lucas Browne would’ve beaten Dubois but for being denied by the BBBoC. Facts.
I just watched this fight. Lerena came out looking like Mike Tyson, and it was obvious he was a more powerful puncher than Dubois and that Dubois couldn’t take his power shots. After the first round, Lerena then went on the defensive, and didn’t throw punches with as much authority or with malicious intent behind them, and this enabled Dubois to beat him. I’m not impressed by Dubois at all, and don’t see him doing much in the division. Like others have said though, it’s a mystery why Lerena suddenly switched tactics, which enabled Dubois to be the aggressor without much worry about what was coming back. Strange indeed.