Daniel Dubois threw a party at his house just hours before his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk. The event, organized by Dubois' father, took place in August 2023 on the afternoon of the fight.
Tony Bellew, a former professional boxer, couldn't believe the news. He shared his thoughts on X, simply saying "Madness."
The party came as a surprise to many, especially considering the importance of the rematch. In their first encounter, Usyk stopped Dubois in the ninth round, despite Dubois managing to knock Usyk down with a shot that was ruled low.
Since that loss, Dubois had shown improvement with three consecutive knockout wins. This streak raised expectations for the rematch, which took place this past weekend at Wembley.
However, the pre-fight party seemed to disrupt Dubois' preparation. Simon Jordan reported that 40 to 70 people attended the event. Dubois didn't know many of the guests and asked to go for a drive to clear his head. As a result, he arrived late at Wembley, leaving him only 90 minutes to prepare for the biggest fight of his career.
Don Charles, Dubois' trainer, defended the decision. He explained that Dubois' father had organized a similar event before the Anthony Joshua fight, so it seemed logical to repeat the preparation.
"Madness."
Despite the unorthodox preparation, the fight went ahead as planned. Usyk dominated the bout, dancing around the ring, landing solid jabs, and making Dubois miss. The Ukrainian champion put Dubois down early in the fifth round and ended the fight with a powerful left hand, securing a knockout victory.
The unusual pre-fight activities have sparked debate in the boxing community. Many wonder if the party affected Dubois' performance and whether different preparation could have led to a different outcome.
This rematch has certainly added an interesting chapter to the rivalry between Usyk and Dubois, leaving fans and experts alike questioning the impact of pre-fight routines on a boxer's performance.
