Oleksandr Usyk KOs Daniel Dubois but 'low blow' controversy overshadows win

26 August 2023 , 22:17

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Oleksandr Usyk dropped and stopped Daniel Dubois (Image: Getty Images)

OIeksandr Usyk stopped Daniel Dubois in the ninth round to retain his heavyweight world titles in a controversial fight which saw him floored by a 'low blow'.

Usyk dominated large swathes of the fight but was dumped on the canvas in the fifth round by what was deemed an illegal shot. Replays showed Dubois' right hand landed on Usyk's belt but the champion was given ample time to recover. He did just that, and eventually dropped Dubois at the eighth round before finishing the job in the following session.

Usyk enjoyed a comfortable opening round as he switched his jab into action from the first bell. Dubois looked to start fast in the second but was punished as the champion landed a big left hand which left his British challenger momentarily startled. Usyk was happy to stay on the outside and pick his punches as he landed another left at the start of the third round as he extended his lead on the scorecards.

Oleksandr Usyk holds his groin in pain (Getty Images)

Dubois began to look more aggressive in the fourth round as he doubled up his punches but Usyk looked more than comfortable. There was drama and controversy in the fifth session as a body shot floored Usyk who grabbed his groin in pain. The shot was deemed a low blow and Usyk took almost four of the allotted five minutes to recover.

Dubois had a better sixth round as he continued to target Usyk's body - but he knew he had to improve in the second half of the fight. Usyk wasn't moving as fluidly as he was in the opening rounds but was continuing to edge ahead on the cards.

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And after Dubois had perhaps his best round of the fight in the eighth, he was dropped at the very end of the session as Usyk upped the ante. He continued on the attack in the ninth round and dropped Dubois again with a right hand. This time the Brit could not beat the count and the referee waved off the fight.

The Brit later insisted he should have been crowned world champion, when he said: "I didn't think that was a low bow, i think it landed and I've been cheated out of victory. I won tonight but I will have to come back."

Martin Domin