'I'm up for a rematch tomorrow, not with boxing gloaves, but a real street fight' Says Usyk About Usyk vs Dubois Rematch
At the post-bout conference, heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, holder of the IBF/WBA/WBO titles, humorously suggested a street fight as a rematch against Daniel Dubois. This follows Usyk's triumph over Dubois with a technical knockout in the ninth round at Stadion Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland. A central controversy stems from the fifth-round body shot knockdown that was deemed illegal by the referee, Luis Pabon. Had it been ruled legal, Dubois could have emerged as the new champion. Replays suggest that Dubois's right hand might have landed legally on Usyk's midsection. Following this, Usyk was allotted a full five-minute recovery. Observers noted he seemed more winded than in pain from a typical low blow. During the press conference, Usyk humorously suggested;
"I'm up for a rematch tomorrow, not with boxing gloves, but a real street fight."Dubois' trainer, Don Charles, expressed his disappointment, saying:
"Usyk pretended he was hit low and the referee bought it. We genuinely believe that we were robbed of a legitimate win."Promoter Frank Warren voiced similar concerns, pointing out that the stadium went silent when he suggested showing the controversial moment on the big screen. Charles further mentioned the need for technology, like VAR, to prevent such controversies, drawing parallels with its successful use in football and tennis.
"We've invested a lot in this, and feeling cheated doesn't sit right. We should be celebrating with the belts right now."Warren remained optimistic about the possibility of an official rematch.
"We're not here to complain, we just want fairness. I'm confident that a thorough review will either label the fight a 'no-contest' or call for an immediate rematch."When questioned about the potential location for the rematch, Warren humorously remarked that if they win the bid, he'd consider hosting it in his garden.
