Unfinished Business: Usyk vs Dubois 2, The Rematch Fueled By Controversy

On Saturday, Wembley Stadium will once again bear witness to heavyweight history as Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine (23-0, 14 KOs) and Daniel “Dynamite” Dubois of London (22-2, 21 KOs) clash in a highly anticipated rematch for the undisputed heavyweight championship.

Usyk weighed in at 227 pounds, three ounces, his heaviest ever. Dubois weighed in at 243 pounds, seven ounces, five pounds less than in his fight against Anthony Joshua.

Usyk vs Dubois 2 airs on DAZN in the U.S. with the main event expected at approximately 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT.

This isn’t just about belts. It’s about redemption, legacy, and a lingering controversy that has simmered since their first encounter.

Which versions of Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois will be see in the rematch? Photo: Leigh Dawney/Queensberry

Their initial meeting in August 2023 saw Usyk, the pound-for-pound king and unified champion, emerge victorious with a ninth-round knockout. However, that result was overshadowed by a pivotal moment in the fifth round – a sequence that continues to fuel heated debate and adds a layer of intrigue to this impending rematch. Was it a low blow?

The Low Blow Heard ‘Round the World

Oleksandr Usyk went down hard after a body shot from Daniel Dubois to the beltline – ruled low by referee Luis Pabon. Photo: TNT Sport

In the fifth round of their first fight, Dubois landed a powerful body shot that sent Usyk to the canvas, writhing in apparent pain. Dubois and his corner immediately celebrated, believing they had scored a legitimate knockdown, possibly even a knockout blow. The referee, Luis Pabon, however, swiftly ruled the punch a low blow, halting the action and allowing Usyk nearly four minutes to recover.

The aftermath was a storm of contention. Dubois’s team vehemently argued that the shot was legal, landing on the beltline or just above, and that Usyk was milking the situation to gain a much-needed reprieve. They cited replays and claimed that had the count started, Dubois would have been the new champion.

Usyk’s camp maintained it was a clear foul, emphasizing that the “beltline” in boxing rules is defined as the navel, not merely where a fighter’s trunks sit. They pointed to Usyk’s immediate and genuine reaction as proof of the illegality of the strike, asserting he would have risen by the count of eight regardless.

This contentious moment became the defining narrative of their first fight, overshadowing Usyk’s eventual TKO victory. It left Dubois and his promoter Frank Warren fuming, demanding a rematch and insisting on vindication.

The Paths To The Rematch

Oleksandr Usyk fought behind pressure and well-placed left hooks to defeat Tyson Fury – courtesy of Saudi backing to make the fight possible. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing

Since that night in Wroclaw, both fighters have seen their careers take different turns. Usyk went on to achieve undisputed glory, defeating Tyson Fury in May 2024 to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion in decades. He later relinquished his IBF title to facilitate a rematch with Fury, which he also won. Now, Usyk, at 38, stands as a two-time two-division undisputed champion, his legacy cemented, but he faces a younger, re-energized Dubois.

Dubois, meanwhile, has undergone a remarkable transformation. Following the Usyk defeat, he silenced many critics with a decisive knockout of Jarrell Miller in December 2023. He then emphatically claimed the IBF title (which Usyk vacated) with a TKO victory over Filip Hrgovic in May 2024, showcasing improved discipline and devastating power.

Daniel Dubois caught Anthony Joshua with a hard right in round one, and Joshua never truly recovered. Photo: Mark Robinson, Matchroom Boxing

His most impressive performance came in September 2024, when he brutally knocked out Anthony Joshua in five rounds at Wembley, proving his legitimacy at the elite level and solidifying his claim for this rematch. Dubois, now 27, appears to be a more confident, mature, and dangerous fighter than the one Usyk faced two years ago.

Usyk vs Dubois 2: The Stakes

Oleksandr Usyk reigns at the top of the pound for pound list, and he’d like to stay there. Photo: Leigh Dawney/Queensberry

This rematch carries immense stakes for both men. For Usyk, it’s about emphatically silencing the “low blow” narrative and solidifying his place among the all-time greats. For Dubois, it’s a shot at redemption, a chance to rewrite the script of their first encounter and prove that the first knockdown should have been the end of the story.

Daniel Dubois has been locked in throughout fight week. But this only counts on fight night. Photo: Leigh Dawney/Queensberry

Dubois seeks to prove that his recent resurgence is not a fluke and that he has the power to dethrone the seemingly invincible Ukrainian.

Wembley Stadium will be packed to capacity and absolutely electric. Will Usyk’s masterful boxing, movement, and ring IQ once again prove too much for “Dynamite”? Or has Dubois truly evolved into the destructive force capable of avenging his controversial loss and shocking the boxing world?

The low blow controversy ensures that this isn’t just a fight. It’s a narrative of unfinished business, ready to explode under the bright lights of London.

The MMP Prediction

Oleksandr Usyk is nearer to the end of his career than the beginning, but his skillset hasn’t shown any signs of slipping so far. Photo: Leigh Dawney/Queensberry

What the controversial low blow also overshadowed was that Dubois was clearly being picked apart from the opening bell to the final stoppage, and the first fight was not very competitive aside from the fifth-round controversy. No one would be clamoring for a rematch, even with Dubois holding a paper championship. Usyk absolutely dominated the fight from start to finish.

Time conquers all fighters. Maybe Usyk has reached the end of the line, and boxing will have an exciting young champion in Dubois. I just don’t see that happening.

While Dubois has improved since that night, his style has not. Beating an overweight and out-of-shape Jarrell Miller, a game but outgunned Flip Hrgovic, and a shell of Anthony Joshua doesn’t inspire me to believe that he has improved enough to beat a tactician like Usyk.

Oleksandr Usyk raises the undisputed belt after his victory over Tyson Fury in May 2024. Photo: Mikey Williams, Top Rank Boxing

Usyk will hold off Dubois’s early onslaught and take him into the deep end of the championship pool and drown him.

Look for Usyk to win by late stoppage.