Usyk knocks out Dubois in fifth to unify heavyweight boxing belts

Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk knocks retired Daniel Dubois of United Kingdom to unify the heavyweight rubric belts successful London.

Oleksandr Usyk has cemented his presumption arsenic the outstanding heavyweight of his procreation with an emphatic fifth-round knockout of Daniel Dubois successful their undisputed satellite rubric bout astatine London’s Wembley Stadium.

Victory connected Saturday saw Ukraine’s Usyk widen his unbeaten nonrecreational grounds to 24 fights arsenic the WBA, WBC and WBO champion added his British opponent’s IBF loop to his collection.

Usyk dominated the opening 4 rounds and aboriginal successful the fifth, dropped Dubois to the canvas.

Moments later, helium finished the combat successful decisive manner aft a trademark near hook near his British rival incapable to bushed the number 1 infinitesimal and 52 seconds into the round.

Oleksandr Usyk knocks down Daniel Dubois and wins the combat [Andrew Couldridge/Reuters]

It was the 2nd clip Usyk, astatine 38, immoderate 11 years older than his opponent, had defeated Dubois aft a ninth-round stoppage occurrence successful Krakow, Poland, successful 2023, wherever the Briton was ruled to person landed an amerciable debased stroke successful the 5th round.

Lennox Lewis, the past British boxer to beryllium the undisputed satellite champion successful 1999, forecast earlier Saturday’s combat that Usyk would look a vastly-improved Dubois, saying: “Dubois was a babe successful the athletics and present he’s a man…You’re not going to spot the aforesaid Daniel Dubois from 18 months ago.”

But aft Usyk was roared into the ringing by a immense contingent of supporters, galore of them waving Ukraine’s nationalist emblem successful a 90,000 capableness assemblage astatine Wembley, champion known arsenic the London basal of England’s nationalist shot team, it was mostly one-way postulation arsenic their leader conducted a ruthless masterclass against section favourite Dubois.

“Thirty-eight is simply a young guy, remember,” Usyk told DAZN successful the ringing aft dropping to his knees successful celebration. “Thirty-eight is lone [the] start.

“I privation to accidental convey you to Jesus Christ. I privation to accidental convey you to my squad and Wembley, convey you truthful much! It’s for the people.

“Nothing is next. It’s enough, next, I don’t know. I privation to rest. My family, my wife, my children, I privation to remainder now. Two oregon 3 months, I privation to conscionable rest.”

The UK’s Daniel Dubois takes a punch from Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk towards the extremity of the combat [Adrian Dennis/AFP]

Asked astir his adjacent opponent, Usyk, who has already doubly beaten erstwhile satellite heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, added: “Maybe it’s Tyson Fury.

“Maybe we person 3 choices, Derek Chisora and Anthony Joshua. Maybe Joseph Parker. Listen, I cannot present accidental due to the fact that I privation to spell backmost home.”

Dubois insisted helium would instrumentality to the ring, saying: “I person to commend him [Usyk] connected the performance, I gave everything I had. Take nary recognition distant from that man, I’ll beryllium back.”

Daniel Dubois aft being knocked down by Oleksandr Usyk [Richard Pelham/Getty Images]

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Al Jazeera and quality agencies