Round 9: It’s Over! Usyk TKO-9 – Usyk senses an opening and intensifies his attack, letting his hands fly without losing control. Dubois counters with a right, attempting to create some distance. Usyk responds with one hook, then another.
A short, precise right hand from Usyk sends Dubois to the canvas! He’s caught cleanly and goes down. The ref stops the fight!
Round 8: Usyk is connecting with clean hard blows to the head, all while maintaining a safe distance. Dubois looks to engage, aiming to deliver another powerful shot to Usyk’s body. Out of nowhere, Usyk unloads a swift combination, capped off with a right to the top of Dubois’ head. Down goes Dubois! He beats the count, but before Usyk can capitalize further, the bell rings, saving Dubois from additional damage. 10-8 Usyk – 78-73
Round 7: Back in the center of the ring, the fighters persist in trading heavy blows. Dubois manages to land another shot to Usyk’s vulnerable areas, causing the Ukrainian to show signs of wear and tear. He bends under the pressure but doesn’t break. Dubois then backpedals to create distance. Usyk seizes the opportunity to lunge forward aggressively. As he does, he catches Dubois with a stinging uppercut. Clearly hurt, Dubois is saved by the bell before any further damage can be inflicted. Usyk 68-65
Round 6: Usyk corners Dubois and unloads a series of combinations on him. Dubois counters by targeting Usyk’s body with a solid hit. It seems like the challenger may be onto a strategy; he just needs to ramp up his activity level. From close range, Usyk lands a few quick, crisp punches on Dubois, maintaining pressure from the pocket. Dubois 10-9, Usyk 58-56
Round 5: Usyk hits the canvas at the beginning of the fifth round, but it’s due to a low blow. Clearly winded, the champ decides to utilize the time he’s allowed, up to five minutes, to recover. He looks visibly shaken. It’s uncommon for a fighter to take the full five minutes, but Usyk takes nearly all of it. When the action resumes, it’s evident that Usyk hasn’t fully recovered, and Dubois pounces. Dubois lands a right to Usyk’s body; Usyk protests, but it appears to be a clean hit. A one-two combo from Usyk suggests he might be regaining his composure. He then lands a heavy left that snaps Dubois’ head back. Another big left follows. Both fighters continue to throw punches even after the bell rings. Usyk 10-9, 49-46
Round 4: Usyk leads with a jab while Dubois aims for the body. Usyk fails to connect with a left up top, but lands a strong jab shortly after. Dubois is off the mark with his shots. He shows glimpses of his potential but struggles to build any consistent momentum. Each time he starts to string together some offense, Usyk quickly counters. Dubois does manage to land a little right, and the ring is audibly slippery now, as you can hear the scuffling of boots. Usyk fires off a double jab, and Dubois counters with a left to the body. A subsequent right from Dubois doesn’t find its mark. This round was close, but it seems Dubois had a slight edge. The round goes to Dubois, 10-9, making the overall score Usyk 39-37.
Round 3: Dubois receives instructions not to remain stationary, especially after landing punches. However, Usyk continues to excel with his jabs and capitalizes whenever Dubois shows signs of slowing down. Out of the blue, Dubois lands an outside hook to Usyk’s face. This prompts the champion to momentarily elevate his guard while also lowering his hands, a subtle acknowledgment of the challenger’s power. Usyk 10-9
Round 2: Recall the time Joe Joyce’s stiff jab led to Dubois’ eye closing, resulting in his only pro loss to date? While Usyk’s lead jab is equally effective in peppering Dubois. The champ then lands a straight left to keep the challenger in check, followed by another for good measure. Dubois manages to slip in a jab, but his subsequent combination falls short of hitting the mark. Usyk 10-9
Round 1: Usyk starts off with a jab, and it’s evident that the crowd in Poland is firmly in his corner. He follows up with another jab, this one with a bit more snap. Dubois counters with a light jab of his own. Dubois attempts a hook but falls short, while Usyk capitalizes with another jab after Dubois whiffs a right hand. Dubois starts to let his hands fly; he doesn’t connect but at least shows he’s not paralyzed by Usyk’s moves. Usyk returns with another jab and tries to combo it into a 1-2. As Usyk is pulling back, Dubois nearly connects with an uppercut. Usyk manages to deflect a right hand from Dubois and goes back to utilizing his jab as a probe. Dubois throws another right that misses the mark, while Usyk lands a left to the body. Round goes to Usyk, 10-9.
Usyk vs Dubois fight card / results
- Denys Berinchyk WON UD 12 Anthony Yigit
- Hamzah Sheeraz WON TKO 2 Dmytro Mytrofanov
- Daniel Lapin WON TKO 6 Aro Schwartz
- Fiodor Czerkaszyn LOST 8 Anauel Ngamissenguel
- Ziyad Almaayouf WON 4 Janos Penzes
- Bryce Mills WON UD 6 Damian Tymosz
- Vasile Cebotari WON TKO 6 Joel Julio
- Rafal Wolczecki WON TKO 3 Roberto Arriaza
- Nursultan Amanzholov LOST TKO 1 Lazizbek Mullojonov