Perhaps the universal truth has yet to go out of style. ‘The Cat’ landed on all fours, only to rebound and defend what was his. Oleksandr Usyk returned after twelve months to protect his unified Heavyweight titles. The Ukrainian champion closed Daniel Dubois‘ campaign in the ninth round. But unfortunately, more than the victory, it was the fifth-round solid right hand and the ensuing knockdown that stole the limelight. As expected, amidst allegations of unfair play, teams have consolidated themselves behind their versions. Usyk’s promoter, Alex Krassyuk, shared what he sensed.

It soon became apparent who controlled the fight. Oleksandr Usyk started schooling the young Briton in the initial rounds. However, a Dubios punch, a debatable one, either on or just below the belt, saw Usyk touching the canvas and writhing in pain. The referee, Luis Pabon, not only gave the unified champion four minutes’ break but, as it turned out, called out the punch—a low blow.

An intentional Dubois – laments Alex Krassyuk

Towards the end of the eighth round, a flurry of combinations from Usyk sent Dubois down. But the bell came to his rescue, giving him time to get a hold of himself. But in the ninth round, a straight right from the Ukrainian saw ‘Tripple D’ touching the canvas again. It was enough to convince the referee to stop the fight.

Understandably, it wasn’t the outcome the British team expected. Speaking to Michelle Joy Phelps post-fight, Dubois said, “No, I didn’t think that was a low blow. I thought that landed, and I’ve been cheated out of victory tonight..”

But what about the winners? What did they think would have happened? Did they believe that it was a case of sour grapes for Team Dubois? Alex Krassyuk, Usyk’s promoter, for one, believes that it was unbecoming of Daniel Dubois. When iFL TV reached out to him for his views, Krassyuk displayed a picture of the incident on his mobile and asked, “Do you see it how we do it? Yeah, this is below the belt; no, look here slightly; yes.”

When asked what ran through his mind watching Usyk fall on the canvas after receiving the blow, Krassyuk responded, “That Daniel did it on purpose; that was my thought…” Then he added that when the Olympic gold medalist got up, he felt, “…you know what was my thought when Usyk jumped up? Don’t mess with Ukraine, and with the Ukrainian warrior, never mess with him.”

Given the illegality surrounding a low blow, it should be noted that no point was deducted from Daniel Dubois. According to a Daily Express article, Queensbury‘s Frank Warren, who promotes ‘Tripple D,’ may, in all likelihood, approach the appeal route against the match verdict.

The making of a fight

Just when everyone thought that Anthony Joshua had finally recovered from his 2019 loss to Andy Ruiz Jr., in 2021, Oleksandr Usyk shocked the world by trouncing the British boxer. He proved the first win was not a fluke the following year by handing Joshua his second consecutive defeat. A highly anticipated match with Tyson Fury could have been every fan’s dream come true, but for certain disagreements, the fight eventually did not come to fruition. Hence, ‘The Cat’ had to defend its possessions from the mandatory challenger, Daniel Dubois.

Read More: “Usyk Aint Givin Anythin Away”: Oleksandr Usyk’s Strange Training Techniques Ahead of Daniel Dubois Fight Sends Fans in Frenzy

What is your take on the fifth-round knockdown of Usyk? Please share your thoughts and views with us in the comments below.

Watch This Story: Five Notable Achievements of Oleksandr Usyk