Oleksandr Usyk may have extended his winning streak tonight with yet another knockout victory against Daniel Dubois. However, this triumph didn’t come without controversy. Dubois expressed that he was cheated out of victory as one of his major shots was ruled out due to being considered a low blow.
Considering the undefeated professional record held by ‘The Cat’, it would’ve been a momentous scenario if Daniel indeed managed to end the fight with a body blow. However, the referee’s decision did not go with ‘Dynamite’ that day.
Daniel Dubois talks on low blow incident vs. Oleksandr Usyk
Daniel entered the arena tonight on the back of a four-fight winning streak. Last year, he triumphed over Kevin Lerena and Trevor Bayern showcasing his ambition to capture the heavyweight world titles. However, Dubois didn’t experience a dominant start against Usyk in his pursuit of glory.
Daniel Dubois drops Oleksandr Usyk with a lethal body shot to the belt line, seemingly played off as a low blow by Usyk to avoid a potential stoppage… Thoughts? #UsykDubois pic.twitter.com/LSnFwE7Hl9
— Sup Dog Sports (@supdogsports) August 26, 2023
After facing significant dominance in the first four rounds from the Ukrainian heavyweight icon, Dubois began the fifth round on a stronger note. During this round, the 25-year-old boxer delivered a body shot to The Cat that knocked Usyk down.
Despite the impact causing Usyk visible discomfort, the referee counted it as a low blow and allowed Usyk time to recover. This precise blow later became the center of the controversy, as DD stated in a post-fight interview that the body shot was legal and should have been recognized as such.
Consequently, Dynamite argued that he should have been declared the winner of the bout by saying, “I think that landed and I’ve been cheated out of victory tonight. What else can I say?”
Oleksandr Usyk explains Daniel Dubois low blow punch
Yesterday marked a significant comeback for Usyk, as he re-entered the ring after a long break to take part in his mandatory title defense bout against the rising British heavyweight star.
At the Tarczynski Arena in Wroclaw, The Cat may have ended his bout against Dubois with a ninth-round knockout retaining his WBO, WBA-Super, IBO, and IBF titles, but he had to address the controversial low blow.
Oleksandr Usyk and his team insist at the post-fight press conference that Daniel Dubois hit him with a low blow and not a body shot…
[🎥 @BoxingOnTNT] pic.twitter.com/WmIyyvHLN4
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) August 27, 2023
During the post-fight press conference, Usyk physically demonstrated how Daniel’s body shot was considered a low blow. The undefeated Ukrainian heavyweight boxer stated it was a legitimate win lawfully decided by the respectable referees.
What’s your take on the low-blow decision? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section.
