OLEKSANDR USYK predicted Daniel Dubois would be a world champion over a year ago.
Dubois, 27, knocked out Anthony Joshua in the fifth round of their Wembley showdown on Saturday to retain the IBF heavyweight world title belt.
However, a spooky clip from when Dubois faced off with unbeaten champion Usyk just over a year ago has gone viral after he seemingly predicted his British rival would become a world champion.
Unified world heavyweight champion Usyk – who relinquished the IBF title earlier this year for a rematch with Tyson Fury – beat Dubois when they faced off in the ring in August 2023.
Dynamite Dan managed to floor the Ukrainian with a body shot in the fifth round of their fight in Poland, before it was controversially ruled as a low blow.
And unlike his clash with AJ, Usyk recovered to eventually KO Dubois in round nine.
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Their battle had left Usyk – then 36 years old – impressed, before he offered some words of encouragement to his young rival.
In the clip from the aftermath of their over fight a year ago, Usyk told Dubois he could dream of reaching the top.
He said: “It’s not bad. It’s boxing. It’s not ballet, it’s not dancing.
“Daniel you [are] young. You can, you can dream.
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“Man, dude relax, it’s boxing. It’s a tough sport brother.”
Dubois has been unbeaten since then, and may now fancy a rematch with Usyk – considering he also believed he should have won their first fight amid the low-blow decision.
However, Dubois – who described himself as a “gladiator” following his victory over AJ – will only find out his next rival after Usyk faces off with Tyson Fury for the second time.
Usyk won via split-decision when he first faced Fury in May, but they now have a rematch pencilled in for December 21.
It means Dubois could end up facing the Gypsy King instead.
However, promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed that Joshua will look to exercise a rematch clause against Dubois, meaning they are likely to fight again before moving on to new opponents.
Round by round: How Dubois demolished Joshua
ANTHONY JOSHUA bravely picked himself up from the floor against Daniel Dubois – until he could no more.
AJ was floored four times in five rounds by Dubois before a thudding counter right closed the show in dramatic fashion.
Here, SunSport’s Jack Figg takes you round-by-round from the Wembley war.
ROUND 1
Dubois comes out sharp with the jab as Joshua bounces around struggling to deal with the piston-like left.
Huge right hand from Dubois has AJ staggering backwards with his hands far too low from the opening bell.
Joshua made to pay for the mistake as he circles out with his hands down and gets dropped by an overhand right.
ROUND 2
Joshua – saved only by the bell after being floored – struggles to get going as he takes shots to the face.
AJ is tottering and teetering around the ring with his guard again dangerously low and inviting pressure on.
Joshua is attempting to get back into the bout but his jab looks far too lazy – he doesn’t look to have recovered from the knockdown.
ROUND 3
AJ comes out with more intent but swings wildly with a right and connects with only thin air.
Dubois pours on the pressure and hammers Joshua into the corner scoring another knockdown.
The bell sounds but Dubois lands one or two afterwards – again AJ is saved by the clock as the writing looks on the wall.
ROUND 4
Disaster strikes again with Joshua floored once more – losing his balance as he touches the canvas.
The referee gives AJ another fighting chance and Dubois lands a low blow – giving the challenger some valuable respite.
Dubois slows down as four rounds come to a close with Joshua showing sensational resilience to hang in there.
ROUND 5
Joshua lands a huge right hand and Dubois legs buckle – an astonishing turnaround looks to be on the cards.
AJ pins Dubois onto the ropes and attempts one of his signature uppercuts but the countering right hand gets there first.
Joshua is caught flush on the chin, dropped once more and this time out for good. Dubois scores a stunning KO win.
Usyk also had his say on the Battle of Britain bout, telling Boxing King Media: “I’m not shocked because this is boxing.
“Daniel Dubois today was better.
“Anthony had one problem.
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“Because this position [leans back with feet planted], it’s dangerous.
“If you want to, you step back like this [takes one foot back], not like this [repeats lean] because this is dangerous. We saw.”
‘Are you not entertained? I’m a gladiator’ – What Dubois and Joshua said after brutal fight
DANIEL DUBOIS annihilated Anthony Joshua’s dream of becoming a three-time world heavyweight champion, writes Wally Downes Jr.
Joshua was floored FOUR times as Dubois landed an astonishing fifth-round knockout in front of a record 96,000 Wembley crowd and millions of TV viewers to retain his IBF belt.
AJ, 34, never recovered after being downed in the first round of last night’s Battle of Britain showdown as a huge Dubois right-hand haymaker caught him flush on the chin.
Here’s what they said after the fight:
DANIEL DUBOIS
“Are you not entertained? I’m a gladiator, a warrior to the bitter end. This is the biggest win of my career. I couldn’t let this opportunity go and now I want to go to the top level of this game.
“I’ve been on a roller-coaster ride and this is my time. I’m not gonna stop until I reach my full potential.”
ANTHONY JOSHUA
“As p***ed off as I am, it is what it is.
“I had a sharp, fast opponent and there were a lot of mistakes from me. Credit to my opponent and his team.
“We rolled the dice and came up short. You know I’m p***ed but I’m going to keep cool and give respect to my opponent.”
FRANK WARREN (DUBOIS’ PROMOTER)
“It was a phenomenal fight, like Hagler v Hearns.
“A brilliant fight and everybody has seen a champion’s performance tonight.
“Daniel has shown his courage, his skills.
“AJ caught him with a shot towards the end and I was worried, but what a fabulous, fantastic fight.”
EDDIE HEARN (AJ’S PROMOTER)
“AJ shipped a huge right hand in the first round and was fighting on heart.
“He hurt Daniel at the end of the fourth and then again in the fifth, but got greedy and walked on to a right hand and that’s all she wrote.
“I’m sure Anthony will exercise the rematch clause.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
