The stage is set, and tensions are rising. Heavyweight boxing rivals Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois clashed again – this time not in the ring, but at a fiery press conference at Wembley Stadium ahead of their highly anticipated rematch on 19 July.
The rematch comes nearly two years after their controversial first bout in August 2023, when Usyk secured a ninth-round stoppage over Dubois. However, controversy erupted over a body shot from Dubois in the fifth round that was deemed a low blow by the referee, sparking a long-standing debate within the boxing community.
At Tuesday’s press event, emotions ran high. Usyk, now the undisputed heavyweight champion after defeating Tyson Fury twice, confronted Dubois with printed photos of the alleged low blow landing below the beltline. In a theatrical gesture, he presented the images to Dubois and asked him to sign them.
“It’s disappointing that you would stoop so low,” snapped Dubois’ trainer, Don Charles. “You should be given an Oscar for that performance. You conned the referee, you conned us, and you conned the boxing world.”
Usyk, unfazed and smirking, simply replied, “You should teach your fighter to punch clean.”
The exchange set the tone for a tense conference. At one point, Usyk, clearly bored by the relentless debate about the punch, placed his head on the table and later interrupted proceedings by standing up and declaring, “Thank you everyone. We’ll go to training camp. See you later.”
The drama didn’t stop there. A long face-off ended with Dubois breaking eye contact, in stark contrast to the previous day’s promotional event where he aggressively shoved the 38-year-old Ukrainian.
Tuesday’s event was marked by striking contrasts in demeanor. Dubois entered with an energetic jog, clad in a simple tracksuit, while Usyk made a flamboyant entrance—bowing, singing along to a Ukrainian tune, and reciting prayers with rosary beads in hand.
Promoters Frank Warren and Alex Krassyuk waited patiently on the top table as the verbal sparring unfolded. Warren supported the claim that the 2023 body shot was illegal: “All day long, that was an illegal blow. It’s not about the belt line—it’s where the navel is.”
Adding fuel to the fire, Usyk was drawn into another verbal altercation—this time with heavyweight George Fox, son of Don Charles. Usyk, who served in Ukraine’s defense against the Russian invasion, had suggested to Fox on Monday that they settle matters with a “street fight” involving four team members each.
Yet for all the controversy, both fighters are riding waves of momentum into the rematch.
Usyk remains unbeaten in 23 professional fights, a decorated Olympic gold medallist, former undisputed cruiserweight champion, and now the holder of the WBA (Super), WBO, WBC, and Ring Magazine titles. He hopes to reclaim the IBF strap currently held by Dubois, which he vacated due to mandatory obligations.
Dubois, 27, has undergone a career resurgence, knocking out Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic, and most notably, two-time world champion Anthony Joshua in a stunning upset. He’s full of confidence heading into the rematch.
“I’m on fire now,” Dubois said. “I’m just pent up and ready to go. It’s going to be a bloodbath. I’m going to put all the controversy and that nonsense to rest. I’m a man of the future.”
Dubois even promised a spectacular finish: “[Usyk] will be doing a funny dance in the ring when I hit him.”
Whether July’s fight will bring clarity or spark another chapter in this dramatic rivalry remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the heat between these two heavyweights is very real—and it’s only getting hotter.
