“That’s The Rules”: Former World Champion Weighs In On Oleksandr Usyk Vs Daniel Dubois Below The Belt Shot Controversy

The much-anticipated fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois concluded with the former going home victorious. The Ukranian fighter managed to stop his opponent from taking away his IBF, WBO, WBA, and IBO titles in the ninth round.  But, his victory against Dubois seems to be mired in conversations around whether the British boxer broke the rules or not. A pivotal moment in the match that would have flipped the outcome of the bout.

A shot from Dubois in the fifth round resulted in the Ukranian fighter tasting the canvas. However, instead of being counted out, the referee allowed Usyk to recover after deeming the punch a low blow. Ultimately, a short right-hand by Usyk in the ninth round heralded the end of a spirited performance put on by Dubois. But the question still remains: Was it a low blow? A former world champion boxer weighed in on the issue.

Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois – Was it a low blow?

Amidst uproar in the boxing realm regarding Daniel Dubois delivering a blow below the belt of his opponent, another former British boxer has sided with the referee’s decision that it indeed was foul play.

Tony Bellew thought that Dubois actually broke boxing rules. He said, “Anything below the naval is classed as low in boxing! That’s not my opinion that’s a FACT! That’s the rules!” 

Posting a picture of Uysk wearing his shorts well below the naval as evidence, he further added, “This picture says a thousand words!”

After the fight took its course, Dubois went on to say that he had been cheated in this matchup. Claiming that the British boxer did not hit below the belt, his promoter will call for the match to be deemed a ‘no-contest’. Plenty of boxing personalities have come out to speak in favor of Usyk. However, it remains to be seen if the governing body  will consider Dubois’ request.

Would VAR fix the doubts?

As a huge section of the boxing community debates whether Dubois did in fact go against boxing rules and took a shot below the belt, his fans has repeatedly claimed that he did not do so. They further said that he took aim at his belt. In order to resolve such disputes in the boxing ring, Derek Chisora seems to have a suggestion – VAR!

VAR or Video Assist Referee is a system of using video-replays in order to clarify disputes running in the sport. Chisora said, “You know what they need to do now? We need to get VAR in boxing now.” 

Chisora further said, “He lost the rematch, which is about £ 20 million or £30 million. He lost money. So now we need VAR. All the other games have them. Tennis, football, we need it in boxing now. We need VAR in boxing and that’s it.”

Read More: “Daniel[Dubois] Did It on Purpose”: Moments After Controversial Win, Oleksandr Usyk’s Promoter Makes Bold Claim About “Below the Belt” Shot Fiasco

Only time will tell if the appeal by Dubois’ team for a rematch is accepted or not. Moving forward, still an undisputed champion, it will be interesting to see if Usyk fights Tyson Fury next.

Do you think the decision by the ref was unfair to Daniel Dubois? Let us know in the comments section below.

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