
Oleksandr Usyk proves too strong again for Daniel Dubois at Wembley
Home favourite Dubois was back at the national stadium 10 months on from his stunning knockout win over Anthony Joshua and in the ring with Usyk for a second time.
Advertisement
Usyk had shown his class during a one-sided contest in Krakow in 2023, where Dubois was adjudged to have landed an illegal low blow in the fifth round, but the Ukrainian had been warned throughout fight week he would face a 'different' boxer on this occasion.
Daniel Dubois was beaten in the fifth round (Bradley Collyer/PA)
Yet, the undefeated 38-year-old again proved too strong for Dubois. After Usyk enjoyed the better of the opening four rounds, he produced a masterful fifth-round finish to further cement his status as one of boxing's all-time greats.
After Usyk put Dubois down with a powerful right punch, the British boxer bravely made it back to his feet but was floored again a matter of seconds later by a huge left hook to lose for a third time.
It earned Usyk the 24th win of a stellar professional career and ensured he got his hands back on the IBF title to add to his WBA, WBO and WBC belts and become undisputed in the blue riband division for a second time, in what was dubbed his penultimate bout.
Advertisement
'38 is a young guy, remember! 38 is only start,' Usyk smirked after he secured a seventh consecutive triumph against British fighters.
Even though the crowd was slightly down on the 96,000 packed in to see Dubois shock Joshua in September, the prize on offer was even greater with all four world heavyweight belts on the line for the first time in England.
OLEKSANDR USYK KNOCKS OUT DANIEL DUBOIS🤯
#UsykDubois2
pic.twitter.com/GYv1iVcmvH
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing)
July 19, 2025
The prospect of being undisputed in the blue-riband division had long been a goal for Dubois and after a dramatic build-up to the bout with a push on the Wembley turf followed by the scream in the face of Usyk on Tuesday, the talking was over.
Following spectacular ring walks with fireworks for both men, the duo immediately traded off but while Dubois briefly had Usyk on the ropes, the former cruiserweight slipped out in classy fashion and finished round one with a flush left hook to the face of the Londoner.
Advertisement
It was a similar story in rounds two and three with Usyk's movement too good for Dubois, who got caught twice when trying to land the money shot.
Dubois turned to the body in the fourth round but Usyk continued to show his experience and craft as the British boxer failed to land cleanly.
The eagerness of Dubois to make his mark was evident at the start of round five when he was ready 10 seconds before the count, but it would soon be curtains for the 27-year-old.
Usyk almost got the job done with a huge right, which floored Dubois who showed guts to rise again after an eight-second count.
Advertisement
It would prove a false dawn as almost immediately Usyk landed a massive left hook and there was no coming back this time for Dubois as his undisputed dream ended in painful fashion on home turf.
Usyk hinted at another fight with Joshua or Fury (Bradley Collyer/PA)
Dubois is the third fighter from Britain, after Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, to lose twice to the 6ft 3in southpaw.
An understandably jovial Usyk hinted at another showdown with Fury and Joshua during his post-fight interview but made clear his desire to 'rest' after he experienced London jubilation for a third time following Olympic gold at the London Games in 2012 and his maiden world heavyweight titles at Tottenham's stadium four years ago.
'Next? I don't know. I want to rest. Yeah, Derek (Chisora) here? I don't know,' Usyk reflected before his next answer sparked enormous cheers.
Advertisement
'Maybe Tyson Fury?
'Three options, Derek Chisora and Anthony Joshua. Maybe Joseph Parker. Listen, I cannot say because I want to go back home.'

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


South Wales Guardian
15 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
How Joe Root compares to greats after moving second on list of Test run-scorers
Here, the PA news agency looks at how he compares to the greats of the game. One more rung to climb… 🪜 — England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 25, 2025 – Root climbed from fifth at the start of the Old Trafford Test to second as his score of 150 took him past India great Rahul Dravid, former South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis and ex-Australia captain Ricky Ponting – who hailed Root as 'magnificent' while commentating for Sky Sports. – Sachin Tendulkar's 15,921 runs remains the all-time Test record, with Root now 2,512 behind on 13,409. – Sir Alastair Cook, whose England record of 12,472 Root passed last year, ranks sixth on the list. – The top 10 is completed by Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, West Indies pair Brian Lara and Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Sangakkara's long-time team-mate Mahela Jayawardene. – Fifteen men in all have passed 10,000 runs in Test cricket, with Australian trio Allan Border, Steve Waugh and Steve Smith, India's Sunil Gavaskar and Pakistan's Younis Khan, with 10,099, rounding out that group. New Zealand's Kane Williamson, on 9,276, is the nearest active player outside that mark. – Root has 13,409 Test runs at an average of 51.18, in 157 matches and 286 innings. – He made his Test debut in 2012, scoring 73 against India in his first innings. – The first of his England-record 38 centuries came the following year against New Zealand. His 66 half-centuries are also the most for his country. – Root's most prolific year brought him 1,708 Test runs in 2021 at an average of 61 – though his best average for a single year is 97.13 in 2014, helped by unbeaten scores of 200 against Sri Lanka and 154 and 149 against India. – He has more runs against India than any other nation, 3,249 in 34 Tests, with Friday's effort his 12th ton against them. He has over 1,000 runs against every opponent bar Bangladesh and Ireland, against whom he has played just two Tests each, and Zimbabwe (one). – Over 8,000 of Root's runs have been made in his customary number four position, where he averages 52.11. His best average by position is 61.05 at number five while his career-best score of 262 was made at number three, against Pakistan last year. – Earlier in the series against India, he also set a world record with his 211th Test catch, passing Dravid at the top of that list.

South Wales Argus
15 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
How Joe Root compares to greats after moving second on list of Test run-scorers
Here, the PA news agency looks at how he compares to the greats of the game. Climbing the ranks One more rung to climb… 🪜 — England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 25, 2025 – Root climbed from fifth at the start of the Old Trafford Test to second as his score of 150 took him past India great Rahul Dravid, former South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis and ex-Australia captain Ricky Ponting – who hailed Root as 'magnificent' while commentating for Sky Sports. – Sachin Tendulkar's 15,921 runs remains the all-time Test record, with Root now 2,512 behind on 13,409. – Sir Alastair Cook, whose England record of 12,472 Root passed last year, ranks sixth on the list. – The top 10 is completed by Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, West Indies pair Brian Lara and Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Sangakkara's long-time team-mate Mahela Jayawardene. – Fifteen men in all have passed 10,000 runs in Test cricket, with Australian trio Allan Border, Steve Waugh and Steve Smith, India's Sunil Gavaskar and Pakistan's Younis Khan, with 10,099, rounding out that group. New Zealand's Kane Williamson, on 9,276, is the nearest active player outside that mark. Root's record Root has been a consistent presence in England's top order (Nick Potts/PA) – Root has 13,409 Test runs at an average of 51.18, in 157 matches and 286 innings. – He made his Test debut in 2012, scoring 73 against India in his first innings. – The first of his England-record 38 centuries came the following year against New Zealand. His 66 half-centuries are also the most for his country. – Root's most prolific year brought him 1,708 Test runs in 2021 at an average of 61 – though his best average for a single year is 97.13 in 2014, helped by unbeaten scores of 200 against Sri Lanka and 154 and 149 against India. – He has more runs against India than any other nation, 3,249 in 34 Tests, with Friday's effort his 12th ton against them. He has over 1,000 runs against every opponent bar Bangladesh and Ireland, against whom he has played just two Tests each, and Zimbabwe (one). – Over 8,000 of Root's runs have been made in his customary number four position, where he averages 52.11. His best average by position is 61.05 at number five while his career-best score of 262 was made at number three, against Pakistan last year. – Earlier in the series against India, he also set a world record with his 211th Test catch, passing Dravid at the top of that list.

Leader Live
15 minutes ago
- Leader Live
How Joe Root compares to greats after moving second on list of Test run-scorers
Here, the PA news agency looks at how he compares to the greats of the game. One more rung to climb… 🪜 — England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 25, 2025 – Root climbed from fifth at the start of the Old Trafford Test to second as his score of 150 took him past India great Rahul Dravid, former South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis and ex-Australia captain Ricky Ponting – who hailed Root as 'magnificent' while commentating for Sky Sports. – Sachin Tendulkar's 15,921 runs remains the all-time Test record, with Root now 2,512 behind on 13,409. – Sir Alastair Cook, whose England record of 12,472 Root passed last year, ranks sixth on the list. – The top 10 is completed by Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, West Indies pair Brian Lara and Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Sangakkara's long-time team-mate Mahela Jayawardene. – Fifteen men in all have passed 10,000 runs in Test cricket, with Australian trio Allan Border, Steve Waugh and Steve Smith, India's Sunil Gavaskar and Pakistan's Younis Khan, with 10,099, rounding out that group. New Zealand's Kane Williamson, on 9,276, is the nearest active player outside that mark. – Root has 13,409 Test runs at an average of 51.18, in 157 matches and 286 innings. – He made his Test debut in 2012, scoring 73 against India in his first innings. – The first of his England-record 38 centuries came the following year against New Zealand. His 66 half-centuries are also the most for his country. – Root's most prolific year brought him 1,708 Test runs in 2021 at an average of 61 – though his best average for a single year is 97.13 in 2014, helped by unbeaten scores of 200 against Sri Lanka and 154 and 149 against India. – He has more runs against India than any other nation, 3,249 in 34 Tests, with Friday's effort his 12th ton against them. He has over 1,000 runs against every opponent bar Bangladesh and Ireland, against whom he has played just two Tests each, and Zimbabwe (one). – Over 8,000 of Root's runs have been made in his customary number four position, where he averages 52.11. His best average by position is 61.05 at number five while his career-best score of 262 was made at number three, against Pakistan last year. – Earlier in the series against India, he also set a world record with his 211th Test catch, passing Dravid at the top of that list.