Usyk Allows for the Possibility Dubois Goes Low Again: “It Doesn’t Matter”

WBC, WBO, WBA & IBO heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk says he isn’t worried that upcoming rival Daniel Dubois—the IBF title-holder—might land another low blow, as he did in their first meeting back in 2023.

— You’re meeting Daniel Dubois again. They keep bringing up the low blow from the first fight, but in the end it didn’t matter—you won. Do you expect a different test this time?

— I’m ready for any scenario. But I’m not thinking about the first fight. That’s the past. Now we have a new fight. Maybe Daniel does it again—but for me it doesn’t matter. It’s God’s will. I’ve been training a long time; my defence is good. It doesn’t matter.

— Are they dwelling too much on the past?

— Yes. Look, I’m not thinking about my undisputed fight with Tyson Fury. I’m not thinking about my first undisputed fight with Murat Gassiev. That was the past. Right now is right now.

I once read a story about Liverpool Football Club. When Liverpool won the Champions League, many people who worked or played for the club said, “Today we won.” But the next day many of them didn’t even remember what happened yesterday—because it was already the past. We must move forward.

What was yesterday won’t be today. Yesterday was Sunday; today is Monday. I don’t go back to yesterday. I want to walk into the future—well, not the future itself, because I can’t step into tomorrow — I live today.

Oleksandr Usyk (23-0, 14 KOs) meets Daniel Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs) on 19 July at Wembley Stadium in London, UK, with the undisputed heavyweight crown on the line. Detailed fight statistics from RTFight are available at the link.

Photo: Leigh Dawney / Queensberry Promotions