Fresh off his stunning KO win over former two-time heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua, reigning IBF boss Daniel Dubois called out one man – Oleksandr Usyk. Dubois, who was stopped by Usyk in August of last year, said he wants to “right that wrong.” Usyk, of course, meets Tyson Fury in their anticipated rematch on December 21st. But a return fight between Usyk and Dubois – who was awarded the IBF belt that was stripped from Usyk and has now, with the win over AJ, cemented his right to the strap – would prove interesting.
There are still plenty of people out there who feel Dubois legitimately dropped Usyk with “that” body shot/low blow in the fight in Poland. Dubois for sure believes he hurt Usyk and that victory was taken from him due to the time to recover Usyk, who was awarded after the controversial punch had landed where it landed.
But Dubois may have to face AJ a second time if Joshua activates the rematch clause he was armed with as he stepped into the ring at Wembley last night. And Eddie Hearn, in speaking with Sky Sports, said he feels AJ will “feel he can beat him” and will indeed put the rematch clause into action and fight Dubois again. We will have to see. It’s possible Dubois may vacate the IBF belt if he has no interest in a rematch with Joshua and wants Usyk and Usyk only (of course, Usyk could lose to Fury in December, and what price we then see a Fury-Dubois fight?).
But Dubois says he is on the “start of my journey,” and that he has to get revenge over Usyk.
“I did the business, and I’m glad I proved everyone wrong,” Dubois said during his big win over Joshua. “But this is the start of my journey. I want to get my rematch [with Usyk] and put that wrong right. The Lord had my back tonight, and I couldn’t be denied. He [AJ] could have thrown everything at me, and I would have come through it.”
Usyk, as we saw, dropped Dubois twice as he closed the show last August, and it’s likely plenty of fight fans will say Usyk beats Dubois again if the two do meet again. However, if Usyk does beat Fury a second time and opts to fight on, who does he fight? There is no desire at all now for a third fight between Usyk and Joshua, that’s for sure (this a fight Usyk had said he was interested in before Joshua was taken down). Maybe Usyk will indeed look at taking a second fight with the man some fans will always say legitimately knocked him down with a body shot?
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