Boxing
Anthony Joshua’s nemesis, Usyk beat another British boxer to retain world titles
Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk who snatched the world heavyweight boxing titles from Anthony Joshua has knocked out British challenger Daniel Dubois in nine rounds on Saturday to retain his WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight boxing world titles in a fight overshadowed by a low blow controversy.
Puerto Rican referee Luis Pabon counted out Dubois after he went down 48 seconds into the ninth round at the open-air Tarczynski Arena in Wroclaw, Poland.
Dubois was also given a nine count at the end of the previous round but the key moment came in round five when Usyk, now with a record of 21-0, went down gasping for breath after being hit on the band of his shorts.
The referee ruled it a low blow and told Usyk to take his time as he remained on the canvas grimacing and shaking his head, with the round eventually continuing.
Dubois, who lasted longer than expected but took some big blows with blood oozing from his nose early in round nine, said the blow was legal.
“I’ve been cheated out of victory tonight,” he told TNT Sports in the ring.
His promoter Frank Warren agreed with the fighter and called for a rematch.
“That referee got it badly wrong. If it’s a low blow why didn’t he take points off him. I like Usyk but that was a home town decision, a complete home town decision. He (Dubois) won that fight.
“They gave him a couple of minutes to recover from a legitimate shot.
“The governing bodies will have to do something about it and they will order a rematch,” he added. “How can you not order a rematch on the strength of that? They have to. Justice has to be done.”
Usyk had been in control of the fight against a 25-year-old regarded by most as an underdog for whom victory would have ranked as a major upset.
The Ukrainian said he was now ready to fight WBA heavyweight champion Tyson Fury if the Briton was willing.
“Will Tyson Fury? I have no idea,” said the 36-year-old after dancing in the ring as his fans cheered.
Dubois’s chance came after a bout to unify the titles fell apart last March.
Russia’s invasion of neighbouring Ukraine hung over the evening, with seven Ukrainians on the undercard and a pre-fight video address from Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy to a stadium decked out in the country’s yellow and blue colours.
“Tonight Wroclaw will witness something very special,” Zelenskiy told the 40,000-strong crowd gathered on a rainy evening.
“Ukrainians, Brits, Poles and the whole world tonight on the eve of the 550th day since the full-scale Russian invasion has started and we keep standing and Ukraine is fighting because of the strength you’ll see.
“The strength of our people as mighty as Oleksandr Usyk, the strength of our friends as solid as Daniel Dubois.”
-Reuters
Finland’s Robert Helenius has been banned for two years due to Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) for the presence and use of a prohibited substance for his bout against Britain’s Anthony Joshua in August 2023, UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) said on Friday.
Former heavyweight world champion Joshua beat stand-in Helenius with a seventh round single-punch knockout at the London O2 Arena.
But Helenius’s sample from a voluntary drug test the day before the bout tested positive for clomifene, which the Finnish boxer said may have originated from consuming eggs and chicken.
Helenius, now 40, was provisionally suspended and UKAD said he was unable to provide proof that “the eggs and chicken meat he had consumed in advance of the bout originated from hens that had been administered clomifene”.
“Mr Helenius was therefore unable to identify the source of clomifene in his sample and therefore unable to reduce the applicable period of ineligibility of two years,” UKAD added.
However, UKAD said that since Helenius was provisionally suspended on Sept. 18, 2023, he has already served 10 months of his ban which will expire on Sept. 17, 2025.
-Reuters
It promises a tough time for Anthony Joshua if the words of Daniel Dubois are anything to go by, as both will clash in September.
“I’m aiming to be the best. AJ (Joshua) has been the King for a long time but on the night I need to be the ‘King slayer’. That’s the goal, the mission I have,” Dubois said at the news conference on Wednesday.
“I’m ready to let my fists do the talking. I’m 100% ready to go and to train like a beast.”
Dubois has a 21-2 record with 20 knockouts while 34-year-old Joshua’s record is 28-3, including 25 knockouts.
Usyk beat two-times heavyweight champion Joshua twice – first in 2021 to seize the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts and again in 2022 when he defended the belts – but the Briton has won his last four fights.
“I went out to watch his last fight… Dubois has been on my mind for a while and he will be for the next 12 weeks,” Joshua said.
“Whoever was going to be there, I was ready to fight in September. It just happened to be him.”
When questioned about the age difference, Joshua said: “It don’t matter, we’re in peak condition. Age is just a number.”
Usyk had knocked out Dubois in nine rounds last year in a bout overshadowed by a low blow controversy when the Ukrainian went down gasping for breath after he was hit on the band of his shorts.
“Anthony and Daniel, I know the IBF title is important to you. It is my present to you on September 21,” Usyk said on X, opens new tab when he vacated the belt.
The winner of the bout between Joshua and Dubois could then get a crack at the undisputed champion after Usyk and Fury have their rematch.
The undercard will have five bouts, including two for the IBF super-featherweight title and the WBO interim light-heavyweight title.
“This is probably the most stacked card in British boxing history, certainly in my lifetime, headlined by Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua,” Queensberry promoter Frank Warren said.
“Where better to do it at the national stadium, Wembley?”
Oleksandr Usyk has vacated the International Boxing Federation (IBF) heavyweight belt, the Ukrainian said on Tuesday, five weeks after becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion.
The announcement comes after Usyk’s mandatory IBF title defence against challenger Croatian Filip Hrgovic was left pending and Daniel Dubois became the new interim IBF heavyweight champion by beating Hrgovic earlier this month.
The 37-year-old Usyk requested not to be stripped of his IBF belt to contest the undisputed champion title when he takes on Fury in their December rematch, where only the WBC, WBO and WBA titles will now be on the line.
The heavyweight IBF title, which Usyk held since 2021, will be up for grabs when Anthony Joshua takes on Dubois in September at Wembley Stadium.
“Anthony and Daniel, I know the IBF title is important to you. It is my present to you on 21 September,” Usyk said in a video message on X.
Last month Usyk became the first undisputed heavyweight champion since 2000 as he claimed the WBC title by beating Tyson Fury by a split decision in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Usyk said he may return to the cruiserweight division following his rematch with Fury.
-Reuters
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