The official weights are in for tomorrow night’s heavyweight battle between Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois. The two men weighed-in a short time ago and some people were a little surprised by the somewhat lighter poundage Dubois tipped-in at, this being 233.2 pounds, the lightest Dubois has weighed for a bout in five years.
Usyk came in at 220.9, this a little lighter than the reigning and defending WBA/IBF/WBO heavyweight champ scaled for his last fight, the Anthony Joshua rematch of one year ago.
Both men looked ripped and ready today though, and fans are hoping for a good fight in Poland on Saturday night. That said, at the latest odds check, the unbeaten southpaw from Ukraine is listed as a 10:1 betting favourite. Some people are giving Dubois, the WBA mandatory challenger, a puncher’s chance, but most folks feel Usyk is just a class too high for the big Londoner.
Plenty of people felt Dubois might bulk up for this fight, this in order to be able to implement the “be the bully” tactics he has spoken of in the lead-up to tomorrow’s fight. Instead, Dubois has dropped a few pounds.
Usyk has to be, and he is the firm pick to win here, and a commanding performance that culminates with a Usyk stoppage win is this writer’s prediction. Dubois will give it a real go, hopefully. But the challenger will find out pretty quickly that Usyk is a level or two (maybe even three) above him.
Usyk by either referee stoppage or corner retirement inside eight sessions.
Alex Krassyuk: “This was Usyk’s idea to bring himself to his fans to make himself available. That’s why our policy for tickets for the pricing was democratic.”
Steve Bunce: “Do you expect to see a different Oleksandr, one you’ve never seen before?”
Krassyuk: “I think, yeah. I think he’ll be a little more emotional after the fight. Not before. He’s too professional for that. After the fight, he can be closer because the venue will be back with his Ukrainians and his countrymen, but I don’t see him doing anything out of the plan before the fight.”
Bunce: “Is it nice to be able to sit down for a couple of weeks and not be asked the same question about Tyson Fury? ‘Alex, when is he going to fight Tyson Fury?'”
Krassyuk: “You have to ask his father [John Fury].”
Bunce: “We have to get a couple of tables. That’s just so true.”
