WBA Orders Oleksandr Usyk – Daniel Dubois Heavyweight Title Consolidation Bout
In one of boxing’s worst-kept secrets, the WBA has ordered a fight between reigning unified champion Oleksandr Usyk (20-0, 13 KOs) and WBA Regular champion Daniel Dubois (19-1, 18 KOs). A May 2 deadline has been handed down for the two parties to negotiate the fight or it will go to a mandated purse bid.
RIGHT ON SCHEDULE
This order was a long time in the making. Usyk was in negotiations for a unification showdown with WBC champion Tyson Fury. The sanctioning body previously gave Usyk and Fury an April 1 deadline, or they would order a fight between Usyk and Dubois.
Dubois is coming off knee surgery following a third-round stoppage over Kevin Lerena in December 2022. It was a fight where Dubois was hurt and knocked down numerous times before rallying for victory. As a result, some observers feel the 25-year-old is not ready for the likes of Usyk. But the mandatory challenger insists he’s healthy and feels he has what it takes to stop the unified champion.
Usyk has been out of action since his rematch victory over Anthony Joshua in August 2022. Ranked first in the 3kingsboxing.com’s Top Ten fighter rankings, the champion from Ukraine is as accomplished as any fighter in the sport. The 35-year-old looks to be at the top of his game.
Word on the street is that the unified champion and Dubois are already in talks. The expectation from insiders is that Usyk vs Dubois is a foregone conclusion and will get made. Look for the fight to occur this summer in Dubois’s home country of Great Britain.
