Daniel Dubois handed plan that gives him a chance to spring Oleksandr Usyk upset

25 August 2023 , 13:58

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Daniel Dubois handed plan that gives him a chance to spring Oleksandr Usyk upset

Some have argued this fight has come too soon for Daniel Dubois. But when is it the right time? Especially against a boxer of Oleksandr Usyk’s pedigree.

Usyk is a southpaw blessed with an absolute command of the fundamentals and a brilliant boxing IQ developed through a rich amateur career. All the indicators tell me Usyk will dominate in Poland.

We worked for a short time with Dubois. We know his capabilities and his weaknesses. He is strong and powerful. If Usyk stands and trades and gets caught, he will feel Dubois’ power.

But Usyk does not get hit square. He will measure Dubois, work him out, just as he has all the others.

Amazingly for a IBF, WBA and WBO unified champion, Usyk has fought only three opponents at heavyweight, Chazz Witherspoon, Dereck Chisora and Anthony Joshua twice.

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Is Dubois a better boxer than Joshua? No. Is he faster? No. Is he better coming forward? Perhaps. He has the edge in power but he’s too predictable. I don’t see how he can beat Usyk all things being equal. Usyk is adept at stepping into range, showing his chin, then stepping back before changing the angle of attack.

Usyk had Joshua going in the last round of their first fight. Another 30 seconds and he might not have survived. In the second fight Joshua was more competitive but he still got schooled. Dubois has a good chin and is determined but I don’t think three months with his new trainer Don Charles is enough to get him up to speed for a contest of this magnitude.

Daniel Dubois faces a daunting task in the form of Oleksandr Usyk

When he was with us, we were working on his movement, getting him to move his head more, to get into attack mode quicker.

It’s about making incremental, shuffling steps behind the jab. It takes time to implement that. You learn through repetition. Unfortunately there were things going on in his personal life that meant we could not continue working together.

The only way to beat Usyk is to be aggressive, to hunt him down, to hit him with the jab and let go with the right hand. Don’t try to take his head off because it won’t be there to hit. Instead Dubois needs to fire off shots down the middle, aiming at Usyk’s chest. That way he will at least hit something.

Dubois has to be at it from the first bell. If he stands off Usyk he has no chance. Even if he executes the plan Dubois is still up against it.

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Barry McGuigan