Their first fight ended with Usyk winning by knockout in the ninth round. But it's what happened in the fifth round that's got everyone talking. Dubois knocked Usyk down with a punch that the referee called a low blow. Some folks think it was a fair shot, though.
Usyk took the full five minutes to recover, which is allowed by the rules. He went on to win the fight. Now, Dubois' trainer Don Charles isn't happy about how things went down.
In a recent chat with Seconds Out, Charles didn't hold back. He said:
"We saw a perfectly legitimate punch that was not scored by the referee. He could have been conned into it by Usyk, which makes it a cheat."
Charles thinks Usyk played some mind games with the ref earlier in the fight. He claims Usyk pointed out non-low blows in the second or third round to set the stage for what happened later.
"If you watch the fight again, Daniel hit Usyk's body, and Usyk cited a low blow. It was nowhere near, that's prepping the referee."
Charles didn't mince words about what he thinks of Usyk's actions. "All day long, that was a cheat," he said.
But now, both fighters have a chance to settle the score. Queensberry Promotions announced on X (formerly Twitter) that the rematch is on. Dubois will defend his IBF belt, while Usyk's WBO, WBC, and WBA titles are up for grabs. The winner will become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
It's a big opportunity for both men. Usyk, the Ukrainian former undisputed champ, wants to prove his first win wasn't a fluke. Dubois, nicknamed "DDD," aims to show he's got what it takes to be at the top.
With all the bad blood and high stakes, this rematch is shaping up to be one of the biggest fights of the year. Boxing fans won't want to miss it.