Ahead of their highly anticipated heavyweight championship rematch, Daniel Dubois attempted to deliver a forceful message to Oleksandr Usyk during their initial faceoff. However, his gesture may not have landed exactly as intended.
The two prominent heavyweights are scheduled to compete for the undisputed title on July 19th at Wembley Stadium in London. In their first promotional appearance together before the summer clash on Monday, Dubois confronted Usyk and initiated a shove in the center of the location, prompting security personnel to quickly intervene.
Following the physical contact from Dubois, Usyk responded with visible, almost hysterical laughter, while Dubois was heard directing an insult towards him.
Their first professional encounter took place in August 2023, where Usyk secured a ninth-round knockout victory over Dubois. Since that time, Usyk went on to defeat Tyson Fury in May 2024, unifying the WBC, WBO, WBA, and IBF heavyweight championships. Usyk will now put all his belts on the line in this second meeting with Dubois.
The 27-year-old Dubois is looking to bounce back from his previous loss to Usyk and capture the unified crown. He is coming off a victory over Jarrell Miller in December 2023 as he prepares for this major title opportunity.
Marcus Blakely