Oman
Netherlands
1st innings (away)
LONDON: Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk knocked out Daniel Dubois in the fifth round to unify the heavyweight title belts, writing his name as one of the greats of his generation in his division on Saturday.
Usyk has extended his unbeaten streak to 24 fights, and as the WBA, WBC and WBO champion, added Dubois’ IBF belt to his collection.
The Ukrainian has become the undisputed heavyweight champion for the third time and first to achieve the feat, following previous success at cruiserweight (2018) and heavyweight (2024).
Usyk, in front of 90,000 fans at Wembley Stadium, dominated the first four rounds of the bout and dropped Dubois early in the fifth. He then, later in the round, with a trademark left hook, finished the bout, beating his British opponent for the second time.
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He first defeated Dubois in 2023 in Poland with a ninth-round KO, having dropped the Brit twice in a previous fight, too.
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Oleksandr Usyk, after the fight, said to Dubois that it is a sport and his nation wanted this win.
He further stated that he is going to rest for the next three months.
“I’m sorry [Dubois], it’s sport. My people wanted this win,” Usyk said.
“Nothing is next. It’s enough. Next, I want to rest. My family, my wife, my children, I want to rest now. Two or three months, I want to just rest.”
Dubois defended his IBF belt by defeating Anthony Joshua in September, praised Usyk and said he will be back soon.
“I have to commend him on the performance, I gave everything I had. Take no credit away from that man, I’ll be back. I was just fighting, trying to pick up round by round. It is what it is,” Dubois said.
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