In an anticipated showdown, IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk is set to defend his title against the secondary WBA champ Daniel Dubois. The fight is expected to take place on August 26th, airing on TNT Sports PPV at the Wroclaw Stadium in Poland. This thrilling encounter has attracted considerable attention, especially from British boxing enthusiasts eager to see how the powerful, albeit slow, Dubois deals with the agile and skilled Usyk.
The bout, although not yet officially announced, is already stirring up speculations. If the towering 6’5” Dubois pulls off a win, it would simplify the task for Queensberry promoters to set up the undisputed championship fight with WBC champion Tyson Fury. However, the potential Fury-Dubois fight isn’t favored by the Saudis, who are more inclined towards an Usyk and Fury face-off as part of their Anthony Joshua vs. Deontay Wilder card in December.
In a risky move, organizers are placing the Usyk-Dubois fight on pay-per-view. This strategic decision comes in line with TNT Sports’ UK expansion, even though the PPV butyrate is not expected to be high. This bout, if placed on TNT Sports PPV in the U.S., may not attract many viewers, as some consider it a train wreck-level fight. However, boxing fans can anticipate a gritty battle as Dubois, who has faced multiple knockdowns in past fights, attempts to seize the heavyweight title from Usyk.
The stakes are high for Usyk, who has been out of the ring since his victory over Anthony Joshua last year. After a failed negotiation for a match with Fury, Usyk needs to get past Dubois to potentially fight on the Saudi card later this year or in January. With Fury expected to box against ex-UFC champion Francis Ngannou, Usyk’s road to the heavyweight title may prove to be a thrilling journey for all boxing aficionados.
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