Usyk vs Dubois Preview: NoSmokeSport’s Verdict On Saturday’s Big Heavyweight Fight
- Oleksandr Usyk Defends His Unified Heavyweight Titles Against Daniel Dubois
- Britain’s Once-Beaten Dubois Is The Mandatory Challenger For The Ukrainian
- Usyk vs Dubois Will Take Place Today In Poland, Live On TNT Sports Box Office
THIRTY-FIVE THOUSAND FANS will be in attendance in Poland to witness P4P star Oleksandr Usyk put three Heavyweight titles on the line against mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois.
Saturday, August 26 will be as close to a homecoming as Usyk has had in many a year and although the bout isn’t taking place in his native Ukraine due to the ongoing war, the stadium will be filled with Usyk’s supporters as the city of Wrocław, which is hosting the fight, is home to more than 250,000 Ukrainians.
For Dubois, the WBA, IBF and WBO Heavyweight title fight is obviously a crucial point in his career and also a very unpredictable one.
The British fighter’s split from Shane McGuigan due to a well-documented family dispute, and his subsequent move to Don Charles just a few months out will be less than ideal for preparation.
Pair that with the 25-year-old coming off the floor three times against Kevin Lerena, the ACL injury sustained in that fight, a lack of opposition to prepare Dubois and any title challenge is already a tall order – nevermind one of the strongest champions in boxing that is Usyk.
For me, Dubois’ best shot will be from attempting to emulate Teofimo Lopez’s quite brilliant performance against Vasyl Lomachenko almost three years ago.
The Brit’s downfall will be quick if he thinks that he can just walk Usyk down due to his size and ‘put it on him’ as we’ve heard many a time from the average Joe.
Usyk is one of the most brilliant technicians in boxing, it goes without saying that Dubois cannot leave himself open to counters.
Dubois must be active with that powerful jab. Like Lopez did, he’s got to fire it to the body, the chest, the arms – anywhere where he can make contact.
The best success Anthony Joshua had over his twenty-four rounds with Usyk began with a body attack. Light Heavyweight champ Artur Beterbiev floored Uysk to the body in the amateurs, it’s no secret that the torso is a key target for Daniel Dubois, and a target early.
If Dubois lets Usyk get into his rhythm the fight will be lost after 3-4 rounds. The Brit has got to be able to start fast, push Usyk back, and make a dent early.
Dubois says that, unlike Joshua, he will close the distance, get up close and use his natural size advantage.
What he’s probably not taking into account is the impeccable distance control and footwork of Usyk that will make it near-impossible for Dubois to be in firing range consistently.
It is also key to note that as with Joshua, Dubois doesn’t fight like Derek Chisora. I don’t think we are going to see him bob and weave or fight on the inside – that’s just not what he does.
From the Joe Joyce fight, we can see that Dubois tires in the second half of the fight noticeably, and takes rounds off as a result, so he must be able to slow down the pace of the fight because he won’t be able to match Usyk’s tempo after a few rounds.
Most fans are giving the secondary WBA titleist about a puncher’s chance tonight in Poland and it’s clear to see why. Dubois has been manoeuvred into a mandatory position without really beating an opponent above domestic level.
A Carlos Takam win would be by far the best of his career. Dubois just hasn’t been developed properly.
Usyk vs Dubois: Final Pick
A big ask for Daniel Dubois and although I think he can make the bout competitive, I don’t think he’ll win it.
Ultimately I’m backing an Oleksandr Usyk win in rounds 7-12 or points at 4/6 on Sky Bet (previously 10/11). I also think there’s value in Usyk by unanimous decision at 10/3.
Also Read; Usyk vs Dubois Undercard Update