Kevin Lerena Assesses Usyk vs. Dubois Rematch

WBC bridgerweight champion Kevin Lerena shared his thoughts on the upcoming rematch between Oleksandr Usyk (23-0, 14 KOs) and Daniel Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs).

“It’s a 50-50 fight. You probably hear that a lot — that it’s a 50-50 matchup. One of them is an incredibly powerful puncher with destructive force. He has a good jab and now carries a great deal of confidence. The other is a magician, arguably one of the best boxers and technicians of our era.

If Daniel can’t hurt Oleksandr in the first 6–8 rounds, I believe Usyk wins convincingly. But I also think Daniel will be extremely dangerous in the early stages. I won’t say he fades later on, but Usyk becomes a more difficult opponent as he finds his rhythm and range. Daniel is most dangerous early. He can land, he can do damage, and he’s got a strong, confident jab.

Usyk will need to neutralize that and turn it into a countering advantage. But again, I repeat — this really is a 50-50 fight,” Lerena told iFL TV.

The rematch for the Undisputed Heavyweight Championship will take place on July 19 at Wembley Stadium in London, UK. In their first encounter, Usyk stopped Dubois in the ninth round.

Kevin Lerena previously faced Dubois in December 2022, knocking the Brit down three times in the first round but eventually losing by TKO in round 3.