Oleksandr Usyk knocked out Daniel Dubois in the ninth round to retain his WBO, WBA and IBF heavyweight world titles, though the fight was not without controversy.
Following the win, the 36-year-old said he was ‘ready to fight Tyson Fury tomorrow’ but he survived an almighty scare in the fifth round in Poland on Saturday night when he was floored by what was ruled a low blow.
In the early rounds it was a fairly even affair between both fighters, though Dubois’ underdog status was still very much on display compared to the formidable Usyk who dictated proceedings.
It was in the fifth round that things began to really spice up, with Usyk going down and looking in serious trouble from a thunderous punch from Dubois.
For a split-second Dubois might have thought he was the new heavyweight champion of the world, but the punch was ruled a low blow by the referee and Usyk was given five minutes to recover.
The 25-year-old Brit took confidence from flooring Usyk, even if the blow was deemed illegal, and briefly showed some real aggression against the veteran champ in the rounds that followed.
But Usyk had other ideas, reasserting his control behind the jab, and continued to carefully apply pressure with a string of combinations before eventually getting the upper-hand in the eighth, knocking Dubois down at the end of the round and he only just beat the count.
But he could not beat the count for a second time, going down in the ninth round, though post-fight, Dubois and others expressed their displeasure with referee Luis Pabon for calling a low blow on Usyk in the fifth round, with the young Brit saying he had been ‘cheated out of victory’.
Speaking to TNT Sports, Usyk said: ‘I feel good. I am grateful for my team, my family, my children. I love you.
‘I’m grateful for my county and the Ukrainian army. Thank you so much.
‘Boxing is a tough sport, but I’m great. It’s boxing I love. I respect my opponent, but it’s boxing, it’s not ballet. It’s king sport.
‘I’m ready tomorrow. Listen, I’m ready. Next fight I’m ready to fight Tyson Fury.
‘Will Tyson Fury [be ready]? I have no idea. I can’t wait to see my children and be back home. I’ve been training a long time. I’m a little bit tired.’
MORE : How Daniel Dubois can do the seemingly impossible and stop Oleksandr Usyk to become world champion
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