The World Boxing Association ruled that Dubois’ punch in the fifth round was illegal.
World Boxing Association (WBA) made an official statement based on the battle of the Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk against the British Daniel Dubois.
According to this statement, Usyk remains the WBA heavyweight champion after winning by technical knockout on August 26 in Wroclaw.
Separately, the organization drew attention to the resonant episode in the fifth round.
“There was a dramatic moment in the fight when Dubois landed a low blow that sent Usyk to the canvas. The area he hit caused some controversy about the legality of the hit, but the referee ruled that the hit was in the low zone and gave Usyk the necessary recovery time to continue the fight.
“After receiving an illegal blow, the Ukrainian changed his attitude and began to act a little more aggressively in order to get two knockdowns in the fight and win in the ninth round.”
Recall that in the fifth round of the fight, which took place in Wroclaw in the late evening of August 26, Usyk was on the floor after Dubois struck below the belt to the Ukrainian. The referee gave Alexander time to recover, after which the fight continued. Dubois stated that the kick was clean and he was stripped of a legitimate victory.
Frank Warren, Daniel Dubois’ promoter, said the Briton’s team “will seek the WBA to declare this fight a no contest.”
According to Ukrainian promoter Oleksandr Krasiuk, Dubois’s appeal has no chance of success.
At the end of the eighth round, Usyk knocked down Dubois, but the Briton managed to get up and continue the fight. And in the ninth round, the Ukrainian knocked out the Briton after another accurate blow.
After the fight, Alexander said that he intended to relax and spend time with his family. For his next fight, the Ukrainian challenged WBC champion Tyson Fury. Representatives of Alexander and the Gypsy King are negotiating a duel in early 2024.
Usyk defended his WBO/WBA/IBF/IBO titles for the second time. For the Ukrainian undefeated boxer, this victory was the 21st in the professional ring, the 14th time Usyk ended the fight ahead of schedule. Dubois suffered the second defeat of his career.
Source: Sportarena
I am Ashley Ortiz and I am a professional journalist working for Athletistic. My specialty is in sports journalism, particularly boxing. I have written articles for some of the most renowned publications on the subject, and my work has been featured across both print and digital media platforms.
