Oleksandr Usyk reaffirmed his dominance in the heavyweight division, stopping Daniel Dubois in a thrilling rematch to reclaim the undisputed heavyweight championship on Saturday at Wembley Stadium.
The Ukrainian star, holding the WBA, WBC, and WBO titles, added Dubois’ IBF belt to his collection, becoming a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion in front of 90,000 fans.
The fight, a highly anticipated clash following their controversial 2023 bout, saw Usyk (23-0, 14 KOs) showcase his technical brilliance from the opening bell.
The 38-year-old southpaw used his superior footwork and counter-punching to frustrate Dubois, landing precise jabs and hooks while evading the Briton’s power shots.
By round three, Usyk’s counters, including a sharp left hook, visibly rattled Dubois, with commentators noting the Ukrainian’s early control.
Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs), the 27-year-old IBF champion, showed resilience, landing a notable uppercut and body shot in round four, but struggled to connect cleanly against Usyk’s elusive movement.
The turning point came in the fifth round when Usyk floored Dubois twice in rapid succession. A devastating counter left hook sent Dubois to the canvas, and moments later, Usyk sealed the victory with a knockout, prompting referee Mike Griffin to stop the fight.
The crowd erupted as Usyk celebrated, joined by Ukrainian football legend Andriy Shevchenko at ringside.
This victory marks Usyk as the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999 to hold all four major belts (WBA, WBC, WBO, IBF) twice in the four-belt era.
Dubois, aiming to become the first British undisputed champion since Lewis, fell short despite his recent knockout wins over Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic, and Anthony Joshua.
