Former World Champion Tips Usyk to Stop Dubois Again

British boxer Daniel Dubois has been tipped to come up short in his latest bid to take the world heavyweight title away from Oleksandr Usyk.

Former world cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson believes the Ukrainian fighter will repeat the knockout victory and stop Dubois as he recorded in their first bout in 2023. Every reputable boxing betting platform rates Usyk as the odds-on favorite to overwhelm Dubois when they face each other at Wembley Stadium on July 19.

Johnny Nelson tips Usyk to stop Dubois with “an accumulation of simple pressure”

He landed a series of hard shots in the ninth round of the first match to clinch a hugely impressive victory to stop Dubois. Nelson is convinced the outcome will be the same in the rematch. “I do believe Usyk could possibly stop Daniel, and it won’t be with one shot,” he told Ring Magazine. “It’ll be an accumulation of simple pressure on Daniel. “Daniel is the stronger of the two, but Usyk has been in with a lot of people who were stronger, but he has been able to negate what advantages they had. “Knowledge is power and Usyk knows what Dubois is about. Usyk has shown that he can think and change the direction of a fight. He proved that in the previous fight.”

Dubois recently raised eyebrows in boxing circles after posting footage from his training camp. He looked in excellent shape and will be keen to upset the odds against Usyk. However, Usyk has previously shown that he is unfazed by the size of his opponents, most notably with eye-catching victories over Anthony Joshua and recently retired Tyson Fury.

While both fighters are currently focused on their upcoming fight, their respective camps will be keeping a close eye on developments elsewhere.

Usyk and Dubois Watching Sanchez vs Ajagba Developments

According to Sky Sports, the IBF has ordered Frank Sanchez to face Efe Ajagba in an eliminator for their version of the heavyweight title which is currently held by Dubois. Sanchez shares the same trainer as Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and could be a viable option to appear on the undercard of the Mexican star’s blockbuster fight against Terence Crawford in September.

After defeating Ajagba on points in 2021, Sanchez reeled off another five consecutive victories to take his professional record to 24-0. However, he was demolished by Agit Kabayel in his most recent outing, although it is worth noting that he wore a knee brace on his right leg during the fight. He subsequently underwent surgery to rectify the problem and has now set his sights on forcing his way back into the heavyweight title conversation.

Ajagba bounced back from the defeat against Sanchez with five wins and a draw, and will relish the opportunity to set the record straight in the rematch. Sanchez acknowledges that the Nigerian has improved since their first meeting, but is confident he will claim another victory against him. Co-manager Mike Borao has backed Sanchez to win the eliminator and believes that the sky is the limit for him in the heavyweight division. 

“Usyk has accomplished everything there is to accomplish,” Borao said. “I can envision him retiring after his next fight with Dubois, making this IBF eliminator majorly significant.

“Frank was injured in his sole loss. He is healthy and will become the first Cuban heavyweight champion.”

Main photo credit: IMAGO / NurPhoto