Oleksandr Usyk looks to be on a collision course for another high-profile heavyweight title rematch after his latest victory over Tyson Fury, this time against another Briton in Daniel Dubois.
The undefeated Usyk remains the unified heavyweight champion of the world after successfully retaining his WBA (Super), WBC, WBO, IBO and The Ring heavyweight titles with a unanimous decision win over Fury at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena on Saturday night, following up his narrower split decision triumph in the first fight back in May.
The Ukrainian also cemented his place at the top of pound-for-pound lists and further enhanced his reputation as an all-time boxing great as he remained unbeaten and moved to 23-0 with another accomplished performance in Saudi Arabia.
Usyk – also previously undisputed champion at cruiserweight – was not fighting to keep his undisputed status on Saturday however, despite having become the first man to achieve that feat at heavyweight since Lennox Lewis in 1999 in the first fight earlier this year.
That is because he was forced to vacate the IBF title just weeks after initially beating Fury, given that a contracted rematch against the ‘Gypsy King’ would render him unable to contest a bout with mandatory challenger Dubois.
Usyk’s team made a request for him to be able to keep the IBF belt and therefore his undisputed status for the Fury rematch, but he later vacated it and interim title-holder Dubois was elevated to full champion without stepping back into the ring after stopping Filip Hrgovic on the inaugural Matchroom vs Queensberry 5v5 card back in June.
‘Dynamite’ successfully defended his maiden world title for the first time in September, stunning former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua with a ruthless fifth-round knockout in a one-sided all-British showdown at Wembley Stadium.
Since then Dubois has been eyeing the winner of Usyk vs Fury 2, having been stopped in the ninth round in his previous meeting with Usyk in Poland in the summer of 2023 after a low-blow controversy that both he and promoter Frank Warren felt had robbed him of victory.
Dubois now wants to avenge that loss and take on Usyk once again in a massive bout next that would see undisputed status in boxing’s glamour division up for grabs once more.
Having been sat at ringside for the Usyk vs Fury rematch in Riyadh, Dubois quickly went into the ring afterwards and grabbed the DAZN microphone before saying to Usyk: “Usyk! I want my revenge. I want my revenge, Usyk.
“Well done on tonight, well done on tonight, God bless. I want my revenge for the robbery last time. Let’s get it. Let’s go. Where’s [promoter] Frank [Warren]? Make it happen.”
Usyk said he had no issues with facing Dubois again next, responding: “Yeah, no problem.
“I am ready, next fight no problem. Now I wanna (go) back home, a little bit of rest, and I’m ready. Your excellency [Turki Alalshikh], make me a fight with Daniel Dubois.”
