Oleksandr Usyk's opinion of Daniel Dubois is already clear after Anthony Joshua knockout

Dubois stunned the boxing satellite connected Saturday nighttime arsenic helium bushed Anthony Joshua successful London, nevertheless Usyk has ever believed that the Brit could spell connected to bigger and amended things

Oleksandr Usyk believed Daniel Dubois could spell connected to execute large things and told him helium could "dream" pursuing the pair's combat successful 2023.

The Ukrainian's words volition person been rattling astir the 27-year-old's caput arsenic helium spectacularly KO'd Anthony Joshua in a stunning victory astatine Wembley Stadium connected Saturday night. Dubois went into the immense clash with AJ arsenic a large underdog.
He overcame each expectations to driblet Joshua successful the 5th circular and permission the erstwhile Olympic champion look down connected the canvas. Dubois was beaten by Usyk successful a fierce bout implicit a twelvemonth agone aft helium knocked-out the Brit successful the ninth round.

Post-fight, the undisputed heavyweight champion had words of encouragement for Dubois. Facing each different successful the ringing aft their brutal clash, Usyk spoke to DDD portion helium was understandably deflated aft a pugnacious loss. "It's not bad, it's boxing, it's not ballet, it's not dancing," Usyk told Dubois. "Daniel, you young, you tin dream. Man, relax, it's boxing. It's a pugnacious sport, brother."

Whether Dubois' dreams would person extended to knocking retired Anthony Joshua connected location ungraded successful beforehand of 98,000 spectators is unlikely. Nevertheless that's the world helium present faces arsenic helium looks up to a vocation boundless with opportunity. Dubois retained his heavyweight world rubric with the triumph implicit Joshua to permission him connected unreality nine, nevertheless it was a precise antithetic communicative against Usyk successful August 2023. The 37-year-old denied Dubois’ satellite heavyweight rubric imagination successful Wroclaw, Poland aft a bout that saw its just stock of controversy.

Usyk - who went connected to conquer Tyson Fury successful May of this twelvemonth - kept clasp of his WBA, IBF and WBO belts successful a clash that, astatine 1 point, threatened to crook nasty. Dubois caught the Ukrainian with a debased stroke successful the 5th that sent him crashing to the floor, though it was deemed accidental. Heavy punches were past traded betwixt the brace arsenic the animosity successful the ringing was palpable. Usyk yet won the scrappy bout and his words of enactment for Dubois pursuing volition not person been forgotten by the Brit.

However, immoderate existent civility betwixt the brace whitethorn beryllium astir to beryllium tested as, pursuing the daze triumph implicit Joshua, Dubois claimed helium wanted to look Usyk again. Asked connected who helium wants to combat next, Dubois simply said: "Maybe Usyk, a large changeable astatine my redemption." Later questioned if helium prefers being the underdog going into his fights, Dubois, with perchance Usyk's words of affirmations inactive playing connected his mind, declared this is conscionable the beginning.

"I've conscionable been connected a rollercoaster ride. This is my time, this is my redemption communicative and I'm not going to halt until I scope my afloat potential," helium said. "I wasn't going to beryllium denied tonight, by immoderate means necessary. They were each saying I was going to get knocked retired but who got knocked out? I'm gladsome I proved everyone incorrect but this is the commencement of my journey." Whether it is Usyk, Fury, Joseph Parker, oregon adjacent a rematch with Joshua, it present looks similar Dubois is acceptable to imagination again.