Usyk dominates Dubois to reclaim undisputed heavyweight throne!

The formidable Oleksandr Usyk stands, yet again, as the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, having delivered a performance of clinical brutality to decisively defeat Daniel Dubois in the fifth round. At 38 years old, Usyk outclassed and outfought his British rival, who is a full 11 years his junior, firmly establishing himself as, so far, the finest heavyweight of the 21st century.

The conclusion of the bout was as conclusive as it was devastating. A sharp combination from Usyk opened the door for a thunderous right hook. Dubois crumpled to the canvas, and though he bravely managed to rise unsteadily, the outcome was already sealed. Usyk moved in with the predatory speed and stealth of a shark. A shuddering overhand left detonated against Dubois's already listing head, sending him heavily back to the canvas, his gumshield helplessly spitting from his mouth.

The referee began his count, but even before he could reach ten, a white towel fluttered from Dubois' corner. The knockout was complete, marking the culmination of another masterclass from Usyk. In only his eighth fight as a heavyweight, having moved up from cruiserweight, he sealed his domination of boxing's flagship division.

Dubois joins Fury and Joshua...

Usyk raised his arms high as Dubois began the slow, bleak walk back to the refuge of his shocked team. The champion then sank to his knees on the blue canvas, covering his face with his gloves as the magnitude of his brilliant performance truly sank in. Usyk has now regained the IBF title, which had been stripped from him by boxing politics and controversially gifted to Dubois last year. That largely symbolic trinket now joins the WBA, WBC, and WBO belts Usyk already possesses, restoring his status as the unanimous king of the heavyweight division—a position he first achieved 14 months ago with his victory over Tyson Fury. Dubois now joins both Fury and Anthony Joshua in having suffered successive defeats at the hands of the Ukrainian wizard.

Before he left the dressing room to begin the fight, Dubois was embraced by his father, Stan, who has exerted a controlling influence over his career and consistently predicted his son would one day become the planet's dominant heavyweight. Usyk, however, awaited.

Dubois made his ring walk first, with the words "It’s my redemption story" emblazoned across the screens inside Wembley. By the time he reached the arena's entrance, he was moving with a brisk pace, almost jogging at one point, exuding menacing intent as Dennis Brown's old-school reggae classic, "Want To Be No General," boomed around him.

At the first sight of the great Ukrainian, chants of "U-syk… U-syk… U-syk" reverberated around Wembley as he began his far more stately march to the ring. An eerie version of "Ave Maria" accompanied him. His face was etched in concentration and determination until, climbing over the ropes, he raised his right arm high. He was kissed and hugged by his cornermen just before the first bell.

Usyk landed the first jabs, demonstrating his immediate desire to control the center of the ring. Boxing from his usual southpaw stance, Usyk snaked out his crisp right jab, cleanly clipping Dubois. However, with 30 seconds left in the round, Dubois backed Usyk into a corner. Usyk recognized the danger, ghosted away, and then detonated a hard left against Dubois's head.

In the second round, sweat rolled down Dubois's back as Usyk ducked under a scything right and snapped back his rival's head with a beautiful straight left. Dubois' corner urged him to impose himself, and he closed the distance more successfully in the third—only for Usyk, like a savage scientist, to nail him with punches that were as jolting as they were precise.

Usyk was locked in, watchful yet spiteful, making sprays of sweat fly from Dubois's shaven head. He only grimaced when, late in the fourth round, Dubois landed to the body, and Usyk made a slight gesture to indicate it had been close to the beltline. But the decisive end was imminent.

Victory for Usyk serves as another timely boost for Ukraine and proved once more that the boxer possesses the fighting aptitude to match his inspirational status in his beleaguered country. During the buildup to this fight, Usyk had spoken strongly against Vladimir Putin and even extended an invitation to Donald Trump to live in his house near Kyiv for one week, hoping the former US president could finally grasp the relentless brutality of the Russian onslaught.

While Dubois was an obviously more limited opponent compared to the real-life conflict, Usyk once again demonstrated he is a master of the ring. There had been fevered speculation among Dubois’ backers that his relative youth, more imposing physical attributes, and considerable power would be enough to inflict the first defeat of Usyk’s decorated professional career—a career that also includes him becoming the undisputed cruiserweight champion of the world.

Dubois appeared to be brimming with an ambition and conviction that suggested he had left behind the callow and deeply reserved young man who had once been so awkward outside the ring. A run of three impressive wins, culminating in a knockout of Anthony Joshua in this same stadium last September, had seemingly transformed Dubois.

But Usyk was simply too skilled, too smart, and too seasoned for his younger rival. He remains the king of the hill, arguably the most impressive man in boxing, and a symbol of soaring hope and searing defiance for Ukraine. The rest of us, on a raucous night at Wembley, were simply lucky to have witnessed another burst of Usyk’s majesty.