Nick Peet: Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois preview

DANIEL Dubois will need to produce the biggest performance of them all if he is to become the 10th British fighter in history to be crowned world heavyweight champion.

The 25-year-old from Greenwich in London takes on the formidable Oleksandr Usyk in a football stadium in south-west Poland with the odds firmly stacked against him.

With 18 knockouts from 19 wins, ‘Dynamite’ Dubois has a legitimate punchers chance, of course.

He’s a couple of inches taller and will weigh around 25lb heavier than the 36-year-old champion by the time the opening bell rings in Kroclaw.

But DDD will have to do something 20 previous fighters – plenty of much higher calibre than himself – have failed to do: make a dent in the superb Ukrainian.

POUND-FOR-POUND

Usyk isn’t recognised as one of the top three fighters on the planet by chance or circumstance. His record, in fact, is the most formidable in all of world boxing.

After capturing Olympic heavyweight gold at London 2012, he turned pro the following year and had won his first world title by his tenth pro fight.

By bout number 15 he had unified the cruiserweight division, and just three fights into his heavyweight campaign he relieved Anthony Joshua of his heavyweight titles in 2021.

And well as half a dozen world champions, his title campaign has also taken place on the road, usually in his opponent’s back yard.

Usyk’s footwork, hand speed and fight IQ are a match for anybody in the sport today.

Fight week began yesterday in Poland, we're almost ready to go for an epic Heavyweight clash!

Today the talking ends at the final press conference. 🥊#UsykDubois | Saturday | Live on TNT Sports Box Office pic.twitter.com/mdLAFNyPY7

— Queensberry Promotions (@Queensberry) August 24, 2023

DDD

Dubois symbolises the future of Britain’s heavyweight division.

More than a decade younger than the likes of AJ, Tyson Fury and old foe Joe Joyce, his chance at boxing’s biggest prize has come earlier than some had expected.

But promoter Frank Warren orchestrated this opportunity. By defeating American Trevor Bryan in Miami last summer, Dubois picked up a #1 ranking and mandatory spot.

So, after Fury and Usyk failed to agree to a matchup this summer, Dubois was promoted to leading contender.

A lockdown 2020 KO defeat to Joyce remains the only blemish on DDD’s resume. But the depth of class in which he’s operated in compared to the champion is night and day.

In December, Dubois was dropped three times in the opening round against Kevin Lerena – like Usyk, a southpaw and a former cruiserweight – before recovering to blast the South African out in the third.

POLE POSITION

Dubois has the power and the youthful guile to take out any heavyweight on the planet. But he’s so young, vastly inexperienced at every level and, as Joyce proved, he simply doesn’t like getting hit.

Dubois is still a schoolboy in boxing terms, still learning his A, B, C’s, whilst the champion is the class Professor. Not only that, but the Professor is motivated too.

Not by cash like Fury, but by the ongoing situation at home.

Ukraine is still locked in bloody conflict with Russia and having the world’s media at ringside provides Usyk with another chance to call for an end to the war.

Usyk is a beacon of hope for Ukrainian’s fighting on the front lines. Like his countrymen, he dare not lose.

Dubois will one day be a world champion. But that day doesn’t arrive on Saturday night when the towel will come in with school in session.

TIP: Usyk by TKO 7-9 (16/5)