Daniel Dubois’ promoter Frank Warren, says his fighter ‘Dynamite’ will discover his ‘destiny” when he takes on IBF, WBA & WBO heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (20-0, 13 KOs) tonight and proves people wrong by defeating the champ at the Tarczyński Arena Wrocław in Wroclaw, Poland.
If Dubois loses, it doesn’t have to be the end. He’s still young and can come again to make changes to whatever Usyk exposes tonight in his game.
Most boxing fans view Dubois as too inexperienced, one-dimensional, and robotic to unseat a fighter as talented as Usyk. It’s not that they view the 25-year-old Dubois as a bad fighter.
They acknowledge that Daniel has got loads of ability, but he’s going up against one of the best, if not the best, heavyweights in the division, and he doesn’t have the experience to be taking on a fighter at this level.
For Dubois to have a solid chance of winning tonight, he must go all out in the first six rounds, fighting the full three minutes of every round and a push a pace that wears Usyk down.
Daniel to discover his destiny tonight
“Tonight is Daniel’s destiny. He’s in the ring with the best cruiserweight of this generation, an unbeaten heavyweight champion who holds three belts,” said Frank Warren to iFL TV about Daniel Dubois challenging IBF, WBA & WBO heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
If Dubois finds out that he’s not good enough to hang with Usyk, he needs to rebuild and focus on going after the WBC belt held by Tyson Fury. That guy is getting old and is clearly just looking for a few last paydays before getting out of the sport.
“Can he do it? Will he do it? You’re going to find out when you watch on TNT Box Office,” said Warren about Dubois. “As I always say, I’m not the one getting in the ring. It’s the ones getting in the ring that will have the nerves or not.
“I’m looking forward to it, and I’m looking forward to Daniel proving a lot of people wrong. He’s [Usyk] fighting for his nation and fighting for his national pride.”
If Dubois proves people wrong, Warren will obviously do a bit of gloating, but more importantly, he can set up the undisputed championship with Fury next. That would be an in-house fight, and it should be an uncomplicated one to make.
“But all boxers are fighting for their pride, and Daniel, the fact that he’s come here and had the opportunity to step aside says a lot about him,” said Warren. “So now we’re four hours away to decide to find out what he’s made of,” Warren said about the 25-year-old Dubois.
“I choose to believe he’s made of stern and strong stuff, and I believe he’ll come through this tonight.”
Dubois must make it a six-round fight
“Mentally will be the key. Can he [Dubois] hold up with 40,000? He’s going to have to keep his mental balance,” Gareth A. Davies said to talkSPORT Boxing about Dubois having to deal with the large pro-Usyk crowd tonight.
“What he’s also going to have to do is close the range on Usyk and do it early. That’s going to be the difficulty for him. The dancing feet of the Cossack fighter.’
The 6’5″ Dubois shouldn’t need to close the range on the 6’3” Usyk for him to get his shots off, given that he’s going to have the height & reach tonight.
“That’s going to be the key, how he closes the distance because he’s going to have to make it a six round fight and go early against Usyk,” said Gareth. “Everybody believes that’s his best opportunity because we do not see him outboxing Usyk over twelve rounds.
“Dubois does the power to damage. That’s why he has the opportunity. That’s why it could end up as one of the greatest upsets like Buster Douglas beating Mike Tyson or Andy Ruiz beating Anthony Joshua,” said Gareth about his hopes for Dubois beating Usyk tonight.
