top of page
Search

The Unstoppable, Undefeated, Undisputed Usyk and his defeat of dangerous but disappointing Dubois

Okay, I’ll admit that was a long title — but I was having fun with it.


I was very blessed to have tickets to see this show live on Saturday, 19th July 2025. The show itself was hugely disappointing, with a string of underwhelming fights that stunk out the venue, despite an incredibly enthusiastic crowd.


The main event came around and, after fantastic walkouts, national anthems, enthusiastic ring announcements, and the referee's instructions, we were blessed with what can only be described as a two-sided coin.


On one side, the coin showed heads — with Usyk delivering an IQ-driven boxing masterclass that wowed the fans and proved to the world that he is every bit the king of the division. On the other side, the coin showed tails, as Dubois was repeatedly walked into left hands that had him retreating with his tail between his legs.


Perhaps I’m doing Daniel an injustice, but as an experienced fighter and coach who studies a lot of film and treats boxing as the art it is, I could not comprehend what his 'strategy' — or lack thereof — actually was. He continuously overreached with his punches, dropped his non-punching hand, got his head in front of his lead leg, and overcommitted to single shots that left him well and truly in the lurch.


Meanwhile, Usyk — quietly composed, ever-organised, and ready to deal damage at any moment — searched for gaps. He probed with his lead hand, slipped inside with his jab, lead-hooked over the top, feinted with his hands and feet, and then — and only then — drove that left hand in at angles inconceivable to Dubois in his state of tunnel vision.


The lead hand work of Usyk, as always, was phenomenal. He kept the hovering hand moving above chin height, feinted with his feet and legs, lifted, circled, and promised to jab — never delivering until Dubois had fallen in with another lazy attack attempt. Usyk seemed cautious of Dubois' back hand but, obviously having thoroughly studied the film, was prepared with his repertoire of slips, dips, catches, pivots, and smothering posts to prevent Dubois from ever landing anything truly effective.


It was my belief that Dubois, in order to have any success, needed to box patiently behind a varied jab, shift levels frequently, and ensure he attacked two places from the beginning of the fight — Usyk’s chest and Usyk’s lead leg.


When I say "attacked," I’m not talking about kicks or knees in reference to the leg. I’m talking about Dubois' foot placement and direction of travel. He should have been circling to his left, looking to gain outside foot dominance while keeping a busy lead hand, occupying Usyk’s own lead hand. From there, he should have consistently driven his shots to the body without getting greedy, focusing primarily on winning rounds while Usyk ‘worked him out.’


Unfortunately, Dubois did none of these things. In fact, he did the opposite throughout the fight. He gave up footwork dominance, smothered his own physicality, failed to attack Usyk’s chest (which would have prevented him from slipping and rolling), and — perhaps most confusingly — didn’t target Usyk’s body.


I know, I know — all of this is far easier said than done. But Dubois' team must have worked on this in camp. He must have spent hours of training developing a concrete plan built on film study, repetitive drilling, and visualisation to counteract Usyk’s genius.


That knowledge and preparation seemed to be lacking. So, it’s my conclusion that Dubois — apparently fresh off a big partying experience hours before the fight — was overwhelmed by the occasion. And even though I’m hesitant to suggest it, perhaps he was simply happy to earn upwards of £50 million to fight one of the great heavyweights of the modern era, and one of the greatest boxers currently alive.


Anyway, it was a great performance from Usyk, a poor one from Dubois, and a lacklustre show that deserved a more exciting undercard. Wembley was a fantastic venue and the event was excellently staged (though the in-stadium televisions were far too small).


I’d like to see Usyk box Parker and Kabayel next, then retire from the sport undefeated. I don’t believe Tyson Fury did anything in the previous 24 rounds to deserve another 12, and the same can be said for Joshua.


Lots of people are now suggesting that Usyk is one of the greatest heavyweights in the history of boxing — and I’ve got to say, it really irks me.


The reality is this: Usyk is absolutely fantastic and has done incredibly well to achieve what he has. But — and it’s a big but — he has achieved it at a time when heavyweight boxing is the least skilled it has ever been. When the division is so shallow in terms of quality, and when the punch output and intensity are so far below historical standards, it cannot even be compared.

Modern heavyweight boxing barely deserves a mention when we talk about great heavyweight eras, and frankly, without Usyk’s involvement, there isn’t a single name that would make it into history’s top 20.


But hey, what do I know?


People will continue to spout the "greatest ever" rhetoric until he gets too old, boxes on too long, or finally gets caught. And then — out of nowhere — he’ll have “always been overrated” and get labelled a ‘bum.’


Congratulations to a truly phenomenal boxer in Oleksandr Usyk — Top 20 all-time heavyweight, Top 10 all-time cruiserweight, Top 5 pound-for-pound active fighter, and, without question, the greatest active heavyweight on the planet.


Social Media

If you are a boxing fan, a fan of a specific fighter or a fan of my work and want to support, please follow me/subscribe to me on all of my Social Media channels:


Thanks for reading, and please share far and wide!

 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page