Oleksandr Usyk versus Daniel Dubois Part II can’t come soon enough

Oleksandr Usyk (23-0) versus Daniel Dubois (22-2) part two is the headliner for Saturday’s DAZN pay-per-view card at Wembley Stadium in London. The former is a -430 favorite on FanDuel, -300 on DraftKings and -370 on Caesars Sportsbook.

Both fighters stood face-to-face outside Wembley on Tuesday to promote the rematch. Usyk stared chillingly while Dubois yelled “and new” into his face. 

Usyk dwarfed Dubois in the first fight, yet it had tons of controversy because of the latter’s uppercut on the belt line or below it. The ref ruled it illegal and Usyk took almost four minutes to recover. Dubois was neutered the rest of the fight and KOed in the ninth round with a four-punch combo followed by an uppercut on the prowl. 

Usyk consoled him in the ring.  Then Dubois won the interim IBF title 280 days later, defeating Filip Hrgović. 

They both sat for a Face-off interview for DAZN that was published to their YouTube channel on Wednesday. Usyk said he wasn’t surprised by anything his rival tried back on Aug. 26, 2023, at Wroclaw Stadium in Poland. The man seated across the circular table said the same thing.

Usyk, age 38, said that number doesn’t matter and he feels around “23 or 24.” Still, he is running out of foes after consecutive wins against Tyson Fury, two straight over Anthony Joshua, plus victories over Dubois, Derek Chisora and Chazz Witherspoon. He’s said he’s only got two fights left, citing interest in spending more time with his wife and children. 

Dubois is back on a three-fight win streak, which includes savaging Anthony Joshua with a fifth-round knockout at Wembley Stadium, retaining the IBF title. He’s motivated by “hunger and desire” to atone for his underwhelming performance the first time and earn the status of undisputed heavyweight champion in the four-belt era.

The Ukrainian champ says the outcome is a matter of when rather than if. He is the superior boxer because of hand speed and footwork, but Saturday’s contest should be a much tougher ordeal, especially if the version of Dubois that shows up is the one that wiped out Joshua. Due to age and punches taken, the first fight was more of a schooling than a career threat for Dubois, and he’s been the best version of himself since.  Keep in mind what former cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew said in an interview published on July 10: “I think this might be the first time Oleksandr Usyk’s ever had to climb off the floor off a head shot.. but I think he gets the job done.”

A win for Usyk would pile on to a hall-of-fame level career. For Dubois, it would make him the man for beating the man who beat the man.

“I [don’t] want to give him my belts,” Usyk said.