The aftermath of Oleksandr Usyk’s knockout victory over Daniel Dubois in their recent world heavyweight title fight has been shrouded in controversy and speculation. During the fifth round of their fierce encounter, Usyk found himself on the canvas after a punch from Dubois, which struck near the beltline. 

The blow was ruled as a low blow, and even though Usyk stayed on the canvas for quite a while, the match proceeded after he recovered and stood up. 

In the end, Usyk emerged triumphant with a ninth-round knockout, but promoter Frank Warren has indicated his intention to challenge the result, potentially seeking a declaration of “no contest” or pushing for an immediate rematch.

Despite the ongoing debate and uncertainty, Usyk’s promoter, Alexander Krassyuk, remains resolute in his belief that any appeal from Dubois will have a minuscule chance of success. In his words, he stated, “Zero percent or negative probability to be successful,” when asked about the likelihood of a successful appeal.

Usyk, who currently holds the WBA, IBF, and WBO belts, has not wavered in his desire to secure a showdown with WBC champion Tyson Fury. Previous negotiations for an undisputed world title fight between the two champions fell apart earlier in the year. In a surprising turn of events, Fury opted to face Francis Ngannou, a former UFC champion, in a non-title fight scheduled for October 28 in Saudi Arabia.

Should negotiations for the highly anticipated Fury fight fail to materialize, Usyk has another obligation on his horizon—a mandatory IBF title fight against Filip Hrgovic. This undefeated Croatian fighter solidified his contention for the title by impressively stopping Australian Demsey McKean at The O2 in London earlier this month.

While Dubois and his team consider their options for an appeal or a rematch, Usyk remains focused on his goal of securing a clash with Tyson Fury. However, looming in the background is his mandatory IBF title defense against the formidable Filip Hrgovic, promising further excitement in the world of heavyweight boxing.

Leon Osamor