Oleksandr Usyk Vs. Daniel Dubois In 2021? Who Wins?

By James Slater - 09/03/2020 - Comments

A few things would have to fall into place for it to happen, but it seems there is at least a pretty good chance we could see Oleksandr Usyk versus Daniel Dubois, for the vacant WBO heavyweight title, sometime in the first quarter of next year.

Dubois has to come through okay against Joe Joyce in October, Usyk has to get past Dereck Chisora, and then Anthony Joshua (assuming he has by then beaten Kubrat Pulev) would have to decide to go into the massive fight with Tyson Fury (who has presumably beaten Deontay Wilder in their third fight by then) and not into his WBO mandatory defense against Usyk.

Usyk’s team has made it clear: either Joshua fights him next (after Pulev) or he vacates the WBO belt. With the world clamoring for a Fury Vs. Joshua showdown, it might be that AJ will indeed drop the WBO belt and head into the super-fight next spring. And this would allow an Usyk-Dubois fight to take place, with the vacant belt on the line.

Dubois, just 15-0(14) is already ranked at No.2 by the WBO, and his promoter Frank Warren feels a fight with Usyk would be both “a great fight and a serious challenge for Daniel,” but also one he “firmly believes” Dubois would win. But is 22-year-old Dubois, who has been a pro for just three-and-a-half years, ready for someone as seasoned and as experienced as Usyk (albeit as a cruiserweight)?

Oleksandr Usyk Vs. Daniel Dubois In 2021? Who Wins?

It could prove to be a fascinating fight and Dubois has the full belief he would beat the 33-year-old Usyk, who is currently 17-0(13) overall but just 1-0 as a heavyweight. “I feel already that I can beat all the best heavyweights in the world, Fury, Joshua, Wilder, Usyk, any of them,” Dubois told Mail Online.

But Usyk, though much smaller than Dubois, is a talented and experienced southpaw who some fans would perhaps expect to have too much knowledge and polish for the still-green Dubois.

Again, it’s a very interesting match-up and it might take place next year. As much as we all want to see an undisputed heavyweight champion if AJ does indeed decide to vacate the WBO belt we might get a genuinely tough-to-pick fight that contests the belt.