WITH less than 90 minutes to go before the first bell sounded, Daniel Dubois had only just arrived at Wembley for his fight with Oleksandr Usyk.
Dubois was first captured entering the stadium at 8.20pm, giving him less than an hour and a half until he was due to make his ringwalk.
Daniel Dubois arrived with just 90 minute to go before fighting Oleksandr Usyk
ReutersDubois was knocked out in round five[/caption]
Immediately, fans raised concerns with the IBF heavyweight champion cutting it fine ahead of the biggest fight of his life.
The late arrival remained a mystery as Dubois was brutally knocked out by Usyk in the fifth round under the famous arch.
But, according to The Times, a party at the Dubois household and administrative travel error was to blame for the delay.
His imposing father, and mentor, Stan is said to have hosted a party at their Essex home on the afternoon of the fight.
Dubois – an introverted character – apparently did not even know all of the guests well and at one point left for a drive.
Then their departure from the party was supposedly delayed after Stan requested extra people carriers to bring his entourage to Wembley.
Stan then drove Dubois to the venue himself, which caused further issues as only designated vehicles had been accredited entry.
The boxer and his dad then astonishingly had to then WALK to the stadium entrance on foot from the car park.
Usyk vs Dubois round by round as brutal knockout cements Ukrainian’s place in history
OLEKSANDR USYK cemented his name in the list of all-time boxing greats as he became a three-time undisputed champion with a fifth round knockout win over Daniel Dubois.
Usyk dropped Dubois multiple times as he put any doubts about his first win over the Brit to bed by cementing the repeat and avoiding the revenge.
Here, SunSport’s Jack Figg gives his round-by-round verdict…
ROUND ONE
Usyk looks light on his toes, swaying side to side, Dubois plants his feet and walks forward.
Stiff jab from Usyk appears to almost wake Dubois up and the Brit responds with a one-two.
Usyk searches to the body with a left, blocks a right hand from Dubois and ends the round with a menacing combo.
Usyk 10 Dubois 9
ROUND TWO
Dubois lunges in with a right hand, Usyk expertly takes half a step back and responds with a counter left.
Another right misses from Dubois and he takes a left cross which has him on shaky legs.
Already Usyk is finding his rhythm, making Dubois miss and certainly making him pay.
Usyk 10 Dubois 9 (Usyk 20 Dubois 18)
ROUND THREE
Usyk staggers back after a right hand from Dubois – maybe more off balance than hurt.
Dubois charges forward with a left hook, right hand but Usyk covers up well.
Huge left hook lands on the button from Usyk, sweat sprays off Dubois face.
Usyk 10 Dubois 9 (Usyk 30 Dubois 27)
ROUND FOUR
Right uppercut lands on Usyk’s belt-line in a genuine case of dejavu from low-blow gate in their first fight.
Dubois traps Usyk in the corner, lands a right but the Ukrainian legend slips off before any troubling damage can be done.
Left hand lands for Usyk but Dubois grabs on and closes the distance, smart defence to cap off his best round so far.
Usyk 9 Dubois 10 (Usyk 39 Dubois 37)
ROUND FIVE
Right hook followed by a left hand lands for Usyk has Dubois teetering backwards.
Dubois comes forward, charging at Usyk and the two trade off in the corner but DOWN GOES DUBOIS after a counter right hook.
He makes it to his feet but is dropped with another left hook and the fight is over! Dubois fails to beat the count and Usyk is once again undisputed heavyweight world champion.
Usyk wins by KO
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When the pair did finally arrive, footage surfaced online of Dubois’ entourage being refused entry by security.
It is claimed Stan essentially told them that Dubois – one half of the night’s headline act – would not proceed without them.
The ringside seating area had close to 50 chairs saved for guests of Stan Dubois.
Whether or not the delay affected the result of the fight is up for debate.
Usyk had already comfortably dispatched Dubois in their first bout in 2023.
And on Saturday night he was already well on top when he dropped Dubois with a right hook in before a chopping left closed the show.
Usyk, who is now three-time undisputed champ across two weights, has torn through British boxing with two victories over each of Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Dubois.
Usyk, at 38, has warned he has just one bout left in his iconic career but could not commit to who he will sign off against.
He even teased unwanted trilogies with Fury and Joshua or a gimmick rematch against 41-year-old Derek Chisora – who he beat in 2020 – as options.
But Joseph Parker, 33, is set to be ordered by the WBO as Usyk’s next mandatory challenger.
Dubois is set to take some time out of the ring as his promoter Frank Warren backed him to bounce back.
‘You just run out of things to say’ – Usyk is a modern day great and one of the best boxers we have ever seen
OLEKSANDR USYK is a modern day great and one of the best boxers we have ever seen.
The Ukrainian battered a gallant but completely outclassed Daniel Dubois in their Wembley rematch to become a three-time undisputed champion.
Two of those came at heavyweight after he had already cleaned up the cruiserweight division.
You just run out of things to say about Usyk.
Everything that he does just impresses you more and more and more.
Read the full comment piece on the Ukrainian’s stunning KO victory.
Warren said: “He has got to learn from it. He is only 27.
“I look at Frank Bruno for example, three times he fought for a world title and he got it on the fourth attempt.
“Daniel has won a world title so hopefully he will come back, but the bottom line is it was Usyk’s night and he is a special, special boxer.”
Warren pointed to Dubois dropping his hands – out of exhaustion – as the mistake that led to the KO.
He said: “That is what Daniel needs to learn from this fight, to try and learn and develop the mental attitude that Usyk has.
“Daniel didn’t stick to the task, he got careless, he dropped his hands and paid the price.”
Warren then added: “For Daniel now, he’ll have a little break, think about things and he has got to resurrect himself.
“There are lots of fighters over the years who have been beaten and come back even stronger. That is what he has to do.
“He can punch, he can hurt you and it’s just developing other aspects of his game. He’s got to come back and make a statement.”
GettyDubois with his dad and mentor Stan[/caption]
ReutersPromoter Frank Warren addressing Dubois’ loss[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
