Usyk stuns Dubois with 5th-round KO, solidifies heavyweight crown

WBA, WBO, WBC and IBO champion Oleksandr Usyk fought IBF champion Daniel Dubois for the undisputed heavyweight title at London's Wembley Stadium.

Source: Champion, a sports news platform within Ukrainska Pravda’s holding company

Details: The first round was closely contested, but Usyk landed two solid lefts late on. In the second, the Ukrainian took control, managing distance and delivering two precise head shots. The third round saw Dubois land some solid body blows, while Usyk’s responses lost some sharpness. In the fourth, the pace slowed – Dubois pressed Usyk into a corner, but the Ukrainian calmly extricated himself despite another low blow.

In the fifth round, Usyk sent Dubois to a knockdown and then a knockout, securing an early victory.

This marks Usyk’s 24th win in 24 professional fights, with his 15th knockout at age 38. He became the undisputed world champion for the third time in his career – his second in heavyweight – having previously held all belts in the cruiserweight division. Usyk is the first-ever two-time undisputed champion in the most prestigious weight class.

Background: 

• Usyk first claimed the heavyweight undisputed title in May 2024, defeating Tyson Fury by split decision, with Fury potentially his next opponent.
• This was the second encounter between Usyk and Dubois, the first occurring in 2023 when Usyk won by knockout in the ninth round.
• On the undercard, Vladyslav Sirenko lost to British fighter Solomon Dacres, while another Ukrainian, Daniel Lapin, defeated Lewis Edmondson in a super-heavyweight bout, defending the IBF International title.

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