Photos: Sumio Yamada
Unified WBA/WBO/IBF heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (20-0, 13 KOs) and WBA regular champion Daniel Dubois (19-1, 18 KOs) weighed in for their clash this Saturday. Usyk weighed 220.9 and Dubois weighed 233.2.
Venue: Tarczyński Arena Wrocław in Wroclaw, Poland
Promoter: K2 Promotions
TV: ESPN+
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Not much difference in weight. Sill though Dubois still naturally that size and likely could not have competed at Cruiser since his teenage years. Usyk is the favorite but I am still curious to see how he does against a ranked heavyweight who is not Joshua. I think of Usyk a bit like Michael Spinks. Cannot help but wonder if he can handle it if a true heavy is able to use his size and strength in an effective way. For those who remember Spinks never fought guys like Tony Tucker. I believe there were reasons for that. Usyk could be potentially fighting a solid heavyweight here without too many miles on him. Look I pick Usyk but I see some potential for danger.
Pete – the problem with your comparison is that Spinks made the jump from light heavy straight to heavyweight. He fought at 175lbs only 3 years before fighting Mike Tyson.
A better comparison for Usyk is Evander Holyfield as they both fought at cruiserweight. And as we all know Evander had little issues handling the bigger guys including destroying Mike Tyson.
I’m not saying Usyk is as tough as Holyfield, but I do expect him to be able to take a punch from Dubois if he ever gets hit.
I also expect a dominant performance as it is a complete mismatch in skill.
That is fair Steve. I think I may have chosen Spinks over Holyfield as a comparison because I think Holyfield while struggling showed he could compete consistently at Heavyweight…win or lose. In my opinion Spinks did not do that. I think he caught Holmes off guard he first time and got a gift the second time. While Joshua is younger then Holmes was…he does not seem quite the same since Ruiz. So to me…Usyk has not shown he can be a consistent top heavy..yet. I am not saying he will not..I am just saying I do not think he has yet. That is why I am interested to see how this one goes.
Very well put Pete, and Usyk looks a bit ” puffy”. Maybe taking the fight lightly you think?
Agreed, i don’t recall his tummy looking that bloated before but i could be wrong.
He’s starting to look like Chuck Liddell lmao, just needs the short mohawk to go with the beer belly.
Usyk weighs what he weighs as a heavyweight. Dubois @ 233 is the lowest he has been in over 5 years, probably knowing he better be light and able to move around. Look forward to seeing, again yes, how good Usyk really is as a heavyweight.
I remain surprised by people who think this is a one-way fight where the A side will walk over a lesser guy. I expect Usyk to win, but Dubois is a legit guy who appears to have taken this fight as serious as a heart attack.
When Fury fought Wilder for the third time, no one had any doubt Fury was a far superior fighter and could box Wilder’s ears off. But the odds were in the 3-1 range, because everyone knew Wilder came in great shape and could change the fight with a single punch. Yet the same logic applies here, and Usyk is an 11-1 favorite? Not buying it. This is a much closer fight than the odds suggest.
I’ll lay a few $$$ on Dubois knowing there is upset potential here that is far less than the odds suggest. Again, not doubting Usyk is the better man… but not THIS much better.
At heavyweight, one shot can change the future for any fighter. However, the expectation is correct in this particular fight. No contest other than the proverbial punchers chance. But it’s Dubois right hand only and Usyk would have to be completely underestimating his opponent to get caught.
Dubois is slooow tho.
Unless he dramatically improved his speed I just don’t see him landing.
Anything is possible with big guys tho. I won a lot of money on rahman over lennox in first fight because he was fired up for it while Lennox was going through the motions.
I made more on the rematch tho because I knew lennox would be motivated.
So ya there is always a small chance, and usyk’s soft mid section has me wondering how seriously he took this fight.
Yet i still believe his movement, skill and timing will win.
Hoping the Poles pack that stadium and make some noise for Usyk.
Agreed. I’d love to see a big gate for this show and put Polish boxing in the limelight. The Slavs turn out for their own, and Ukraine and Poland have a very supportive relationship.
Usyk will make this Dubois look like an amateur. He will stick and move and box circles around him because Dubois is slow.
I expect at least a unanimous decision, but most likely a late stoppage as Dubois wears down.
should be easy work for Usyk. but, its great that both of these teams are actually capable of making the fight.
Dubois is still a top 10 kinda of heavyweight. He has skill, power, youth on his side. There is always the danger at heavyweight with a guy who can bang. I think it’s an interesting fight. If Dubois goes to the body like he says, Usyk will bust him up. Usyk hits more than hard enough to keep Dubois honest. I predict a late round stoppage for Usyk.
I also predict a late stoppage for Usyk, but Dubois has enough talent and courage to make it exciting while it lasts. And if he lands a monster punch, he’s got a chance to change the script entirely.
What Dubois body part abandons him first?
His left eye
His heart followed by his liver, in that order.
There is nothing special about Dubois. Easy win for Usyk.
Actually leaning towards an upset in this one. What really worries me is Dubois performance vs Lerena. He looked like his punch resistance was low in that first round and could have easily been stopped. That being said, Usyk at heavyweight hasn’t been impressive to me. The only reason why he got the Joshua fight is because he didn’t exactly look great vs Witherspoon and Chisora. Bottom line, I think Joshua is just vastly overrated and those 2 close decisions don’t prove to me Usyk is some elite heavyweight. I could be way off here but I expect a very competitive fight and wouldn’t be surprised at all if Dubois won.
Interesting opinion. Maybe the pasting he’s about to give Dunois will earn you nod. Usyk has elite level skills and it’s his combos that kill. Most heavyweights aren’t used to 5, 6 and 7 shots coming at them consistently. However, if you’re right, the least I can do is refer to you as Master Dan for the rest of the year, or any title you wish to be addressed by.
Dubois looks like a Deer in headlights. wtf.. but seems confident im not sure .. hmm
.Well, we have a heavyweight card after all; never mind if it is not the one we want, but it is a decent one with not much intrigue on it. If Usyk, as is expected, wins this fight, he will not have many options on hand, but Filip Hrgovic, who, IMO, is a better fighter than Dubois and deserves a chance since a long time ago.
I actually think Dubois might be better in this spot than Hrgovic. The problem Hrgovic has is that he can be very lazy in the ring and that will be trouble against a highly active and mobile fighter like Usyk. While I think Hrgovic may have more raw talent than Dubois, he doesn’t seem to have a workrate that would serve him well in a fight like this. Dubois won’t wilt. He might get beat up, but I expect him to keep plugging along. And he looks like he trained his ass off for this fight.
Dubois should be able to use his reach and outbox the slower champ. Dubois by Split secision.
Don’t bet the Farm. See what I did there? Farm….ahhhh forget it
Are you on drugs?
Usyk vs Hrgovic? Now that is a boring fight.ole flip reminds me of John Ruiz.
Usyk gets him out of there early, a complete mismatch. Dubois chin was exposed in his last fight against that South African guy, Usyk isn’t a huge puncher but will have no problem landing. Usyk in 3.
You’re 100% right. This is a dreadful mismatch, of titanic proportions. I’m seeing Dubois as a plodding punching bag, the likes we’ve not seen since Davey Moore was annihilated by Roberto Duran. Keep the event staffed with an ambulance, please.
I’m looking forward to this as well. He has fought at about 12.5% weight deficit vs Witherspoon, then 17.5% vs Chisora and as much as 10.4% in 2nd fight vs Joshua. I think he can handle a 5.5% weight deficit vs a fighter who will do less to him on the inside, in the clinches, and who has suffered 4 knockdowns in the last 3 years. Usyk will also have the crowd on his side for what that’s worth, and he hasn’t had to make any weight “adjustment” based on where he has been at the last 3 years. Dubois made a major adjustment and hasn’t been this light since 6 years ago. Dubois can be exciting but I don’t think he has the legs or experience, only use him as a very slight hedge wager in case he got lucky by causing a cut on Usyk to force a stoppage if it gets bad. Again that’s a very slight hedge with a solid return but most people are comfortable with a general Usyk by KO here for about -200.
At least this will clear up the WBA situation…until they select another “regular” champion.
Similar records but worlds apart in the level of competition which will be apparent by the 2nd round. Dubious has to go for the early KO because there’s no way he’s outworking or out boxing Usyk
I’m calling Usyk TKO ref stoppage late 8th to mid 9th.
***Side note: you’d figure that after all the times everyone has commented about Usyk in different forums, autocorrect wouldn’t change his name to Usual anymore.***
Unless Usyk aged significantly, the odds tell the tale here, and bestow to him his due respect. There is lots to say on the matter but I leave that to you all. Usyk in 10.
Boxing has levels. Dubois is no where near Usyk’s level. Usyk can beat Dubois drunk, with a cigarette in his mouth.
Usyk’s weight gain is the only thing that makes things uncertain about the outcome in my eyes. I’m not so sure that makes him a more difficult opponent. I think he has become a bit slower and stiffer. Dubois mustn’t be underrated, but I would be surprised if he wins.