In the presence of 90,000 fans at the Wembley Stadium in London, Oleksandr Usyk ruthlessly dismantled Daniel Dubois in the fifth round to reclaim his place as the undisputed world heavyweight champion.
The 38-year-old Ukrainian, who had already made history by conquering the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, became the first male fighter in the four-belt era to achieve undisputed status three times.
Having previously stopped Dubois in the ninth round in 2023, Usyk produced an even more spectacular performance this time around.
He floored the Brit twice with a perfectly timed right hand to the temple, and then finished the job with a sweeping left hook to the jaw that left Dubois flat on his back, unable to beat the count.
“I’m Sorry Dubois, It’s Sport” – Oleksandr Usyk Pays Tribute After Historic Win
Speaking post-fight, an Usyk dedicated the victory to his people and his desire to finally take a break after a whirlwind few years.
“I’m sorry [Dubois], it’s sport. My people wanted this win,” Usyk told DAZN in the ring.
“Nothing is next. It’s enough. Next, I want to rest. My family, my wife, my children.
“I want to rest now. Two or three months, I want to just rest.”
Oleksandr Usyk reclaimed his IBF in style to unify the WBA (Super), WBC, IBF, and WBO belts once again after being stripped of his IBF title earlier this year, a move that allowed Dubois to be promoted to full champion status.
Daniel Dubois: “I Gave Everything I Had”
The 27-year-old Dubois, who had shocked the boxing world by stopping Anthony Joshua in five rounds last year, was gracious in defeat.
“I have to commend him on the performance, I gave everything I had. Take no credit away from that man, I’ll be back,” Dubois told DAZN.
“I was just fighting, trying to pick up round by round. It is what it is.”
Dubois falls to 22-3 as a professional, all three defeats coming by stoppage. And after such a brutal loss in front of his home fans, the rebuilding process begins once again.
How the Fight Unfolded
From the opening bell, it was clear that Usyk was in control. Using slick movement, feints, and a piercing southpaw jab, Usyk nullified Dubois’ physical advantages including a 26-pound weight advantage and 11 years in youth.
CompuBox statistics confirmed Usyk’s dominance:
| Punches | Usyk | Dubois |
|---|---|---|
| Total Landed | 57 | 35 |
| Total Thrown | 153 | 179 |
| Accuracy | 37.3% | 19.6% |
| Jabs Landed | 21 | 11 |
| Power Shots | 36 | 24 |
| Power Accuracy | 46.2% | 32% |
Usyk closed out rounds one and two with clean left hands and rocked Dubois with a big left hook in the third. A low blow complaint in round four briefly slowed the action, but by the fifth, the champion was in full flow.
A crisp right to the side of Dubois’ head sent him to the canvas. Though he beat the count, he was visibly shaken. Moments later, a devastating left hook ended the contest.
Referee Mike Griffin reached the count of nine before waving off the fight as Dubois’ corner had already tossed in the towel.
- 24 Fights
- 13 World title fights
- 13 World title fights won
- 7 Most consecutive world title fights
- 8 No. world titles won
- 3 Undisputed titles
With this win, Usyk extended his professional fight record to 24. He’s now beaten;
- Anthony Joshua (twice),
- Tyson Fury (twice), and
- Daniel Dubois (twice).
Dubois, who had hoped to become the first British boxer to unify the division in the four-belt era, was instead left looking at another long road back.
While questions were raised during fight week about Usyk’s age and how long he could maintain this level, the Ukrainian responded in style.
“Thirty-eight is a young guy. Thirty-eight is only the start,” Usyk said in the ring after.
“Maybe Tyson Fury. Maybe Derek Chisora. Maybe Anthony Joshua. Maybe Joseph Parker, I don’t know.”
Usyk’s greatness is now undeniable. From undisputed cruiserweight, to conquering Joshua and Fury, and now flattening Dubois in front of 90,000 under the Wembley lights, he’s no longer just a master boxer, he’s a ruthless finisher, a student of the sport, and still, boxing’s top man at 38.
Fury Boasts: “I’ve Beaten Him Twice”
Meanwhile, Former champion Tyson Fury, who announced his retirement after back-to-back defeats to Usyk in 2024, took to Instagram to share his reaction.
“Massive shout out to Usyk, fantastic performance tonight against Dubois,” said Fury.
“It was a good tear-up. Congratulations to both men.
“Usyk knows there’s only one man that can beat him. I’ve done it twice before and the world knows it. No matter what anyone wants to say, I won those fights.”
Whether Fury genuinely returns or not, Usyk remains the division’s A-side. A bout with WBO interim champion Joseph Parker, who was ringside, is a possibility, as is a trilogy with Joshua or even a final swan song against Deontay Wilder.
