Coming at a time when the sport of boxing, the heavyweight division in particular, needs it less than ever, is the latest slice of controversy. Not a failed drugs test, but a “KO” that was ruled a low blow.
Last night in Poland, defending WBA IBF WBO heavyweight champ Oleksandr Usyk stopped a game Daniel Dubois in the ninth round. However, the win scored by the gifted Ukrainian came after the big Londoner had, he and his supporters felt then and feel now, ‘knocked Usyk out with a legitimate body shot” in round five.
Over and over again since, have fight fans been analysing the shot Dubois landed in the fifth round. Hey, it WAS low. See for yourself, the punch clearly landed BELOW Usyk’s belt-line. This though, has not stopped Dubois’s promoter Frank Warren from threatening to appeal last night’s decision, the aim being to have the result changed to a no-contest, with a rematch ordered. It won’t happen, neither will the rematch.
That said, Dubois fought well last night, and he can take comfort from his overall good effort. But Usyk won, and he won fairly. Whether this controversy winds up sticking around in the minds of boxing fans for years to come – like the ‘he was robbed’ Henry Cooper-Muhammad Ali fight and the extra time Ali got after being knocked down (4 seconds that grew into as much as 2 minutes) – remains to be seen.
Usyk has, jokingly, said he will grant Dubois a rematch, but in a street fight. In reality, the three-belt heavyweight champ will either fight IBF mandatory Filip Hrgovic next, or, if the super fight can somehow be made, Usyk will at last fight Tyson Fury.
Dubois can come again, he is good enough, but he won’t get another go at Usyk. And despite what some people are trying to tell you, Dubois doesn’t deserve a return with the southpaw champ.
Dubois landed an unintentional low blow in the fifth round, this his fight highlight. There’s really nothing more to it than that
Agree or disagree?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnhU_NvS3q8
