Daniel Dubois interrupts Oleksandr Usyk celebration to demand ‘revenge’
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Daniel Dubois charged into the ring to cut short Oleksandr Usyk's celebrations following his recent victory against Tyson Fury. He called for "revenge" by challenging Usyk to a unification fight.
Usyk successfully defended his WBC, WBA, and WBO heavyweight titles by winning a unanimous decision, finishing the fight with all three judges scoring it 116-112 in his favor. The match took place in Riyadh, where he faced a frustrated Fury, who stormed out of the ring afterwards and dismissed the result as an “early Christmas gift” from the judges to Usyk.
While the Ukrainian star reveled in his hard-earned victory, IBF champion Dubois chose that moment to enter the ring and face off against the champion, insisting on a rematch.
In August 2023, Dubois was defeated in the ninth round by Usyk, but he has made an impressive comeback since that loss. This resurgence reached its peak when he scored a stunning knockout against Anthony Joshua in September, successfully defending the IBF world title he received after Usyk vacated it earlier that summer.
In their initial matchup, Dubois insisted that he was robbed of a win after he knocked down the Ukrainian with a body punch in the fifth round. The referee considered it a low blow and allowed the Ukrainian extra time to recuperate.
The 27-year-old British man has chosen to seek revenge for what he sees as a wrongdoing.
"I’m seeking my revenge, Usyk," yelled Dubois as he entered the ring during the celebration and grabbed the microphone. "Congratulations on your victory tonight; great job. God bless."
"I'm determined to get back at them for the theft that happened last time. Let's do this! Where's Frank [promoter Frank Warren]? I need him to make it happen."
Dubois’ request might seem a bit odd since he already has a challenging title defense lined up against former champ Joseph Parker in February. Winning that fight is essential for him to have a rematch with Usyk in the future.
Always the composed one, Usyk appeared more than willing to go along with Dubois' request. He reached out to Turki Alalshikh, a key figure in Saudi Arabia's boxing scene, to help set up a rematch.
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Usyk responded, “Your Excellency, please arrange the match with Daniel Dubois. I really appreciate it.”
During his press conference after the fight, Usyk stated, "I have more to offer. I'm prepared to take on (Dubois), it's not an issue. Whenever the next fight happens, I'm ready. But for now, I'm looking forward to going home and relaxing."
Dubois' controversial approach faced some backlash, with numerous social media users labeling him as "embarrassing" for attempting to overshadow Usyk.
In a discussion on talkSport, analyst Spencer Oliver commented: “Usyk should relish his achievement. He’s shown he’s at the top of his game. There was really no reason for Daniel to act that way. We shouldn't overlook the fact that he still needs to face Joseph Parker.”
