Oleksandr Usyk further cemented his status as one of the all-time greats of the boxing game by easily beating Daniel Dubois on Saturday, the 19th of July. A full house of 90,000 watched on as the Ukrainian finished the fight in the fifth round to become the undisputed king of the heavyweight division for the third time.
Dubois was a clear outsider, priced at odds of around 7/2, but there were some who fancied an upset. This was the second time these fighters had met, and in the first battle back in August 2023, Dubois may have been able to claim the win had a punch that many believed was legal not been deemed a low blow. Usyk was given time to recover in that fight, which took place in Wroclaw, Poland, and went on to win by KO in the ninth round.
Dubois was believed to have improved markedly since that loss and was especially impressive in dispatching Anthony Joshua in the fifth round last time. As such, there were some who thought he had a real chance here. After all, Usyk is now 38, whilst Dubois, at 27, should be in his prime. The underdog is naturally the much bigger man and weighed in 17 pounds heavier than his opponent, boasting clear height and reach advantages too.
However, boxing remains a sport of great skill, and Usyk is one of the most skilled and intelligent fighters we have ever seen. His boxing brain is said to work like a computer and people talk of him “downloading” information from his first fight against opponents before returning even better the second time around.
There are now three British heavyweights who can attest to that, with Ukraine’s finest having beaten Joshua, Tyson Fury and now Dubois twice. Second time around in each case, he has come back with a clear plan, having made subtle strategic adjustments and demonstrated his immense ring craft and adaptability.
Dubois Easily Beaten
OLEKSANDR USYK KNOCKS OUT DANIEL DUBOIS🤯#UsykDubois2 pic.twitter.com/GYv1iVcmvH
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) July 19, 2025
Usyk was magnificent the second time around against Dubois, and it was a true masterclass of boxing. Usyk was unbeatable as a cruiserweight and is proving just as good as a heavyweight, despite almost always being the shorter, lighter man. His movement and counter-punching ability are incredible, and he was able to duck and dive away from Dubois’s jab and then deliver powerful blows of his own.
In the first few rounds, Dubois was able to get through with some solid shots of his own but gradually the favourite asserted his superiority. After the third round, Dubois increasingly struggled to land any meaningful shots, whilst Usyk continued to pick the Brit off.
In the fifth round, a fine right-hand sent Dubois to the deck, and whilst he beat the count reasonably comfortably, it was clear that the fight would soon be over. A big left-hook from the Ukrainian, or Ivan, as Usyk afterwards joked that particular big, swinging blow was called, was enough to send Dubois down again. This time, it was enough to end the contest and move the southpaw’s record to an incredible 24 wins from 24 fights.
Truly One of the Greats
The man from Simferopol in Crimea was already regarded as one of the greatest boxers we have seen, and each fight makes the argument stronger. As an amateur, he won gold at the 2011 World Championships and gold again in the 2012 Olympics in London.
Upon turning pro, he fought at cruiserweight, where he dominated the division. His last fight at that weight came against Brit Tony Bellew in Manchester. Usyk weighed in at just over 198 pounds, little more than 14 stone, illustrating just how much bigger and stronger he has become since moving up to a division that is not, truly, his natural home.
As special as he had seemed at cruiserweight, many questioned whether he would have the power and the durability to mix it with much heavier fighters. However, he quickly made such arguments look ridiculous and, having been the undisputed champion at the lighter weight limit, set about doing the same in boxing’s marquee division.
He beat AJ at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in September 2021, winning by a clear and unanimous decision. Given his opponent’s height, weight, and reach advantage, he came into that fight as a big underdog but won with ease and class to claim the WBA, IBF, and WBO belts.
Since then he has just got better and better, beating AJ again, then Dubois, then Tyson Fury in consecutive battles and then Dubois once again. Some may argue that Fury won his first fight with the Ukrainian, and it was certainly close, but the second time around, Usyk was much better. At 38, he has stated that he is “not an old man” and he can certainly keep going for a good while yet. However, what is left for him to achieve?
What Next for Undisputed Champion
Having become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world for the second time, there is nothing left for Usyk to prove. He has done it all at cruiserweight and then proven himself even better as a heavyweight. However, whilst he is 38, he feels he still has a lot to give and, after defeating Dubois, instantly denied suggestions he might retire.
Speaking to the fight’s broadcaster, Dazn, he said, “Maybe it’s Tyson Fury. Maybe we have three choices, Derek Chisora and Anthony Joshua, maybe Joseph Parker.” Fury is, of course, technically retired, but that has not stopped the Gypsy King – and so many other boxers over the years – before. There would seem to be little appetite for a third match against AJ, whilst Chisora is unlikely to offer much of a challenge.
Fury commented on social media that “Usyk knows there’s only one man that can beat him. I’ve done it twice before and the world knows it. No matter what anyone wants to say, I won those fights.” It is a fight that may would certainly love to see, but for now, Usyk has said he plans to rest and spend time with his family.
The Ring makes Usyk their number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world, and it is hard to disagree with that. Whoever he opts to fight next, we won’t be betting against the Ukrainian.