The boxing world is abuzz with anticipation as talks for a showdown between heavyweight champions Oleksandr Usyk (20-0, 13 KOs) and Daniel Dubois (19-1, 18 KOs) appear to have hit a roadblock. According to various sources, negotiation complications have prompted the World Boxing Association (WBA) to schedule a purse bid for the potential fight. The bid is slated to take place on May 25th in Houston, Texas, with a minimum bid of 1 million dollars and a 75/25 split in favor of the reigning champion, Usyk.
Daniel “Dynamite” Dubois, who boasts an impressive record, albeit with a single loss to Joe Joyce in October 2020, has been in the recovery phase following a knee injury. The injury occurred during his bout with Kevin Lerena in December 2022, where Dubois was dropped three times in the first round. The question on everyone’gs lips is whether Dubois’ injured right knee will be ready for combat in the summer. Speculations are rife that Dubois might only be ready to step back into the ring in the latter half of the year. However, this timeline may not sit well with Usyk, who reportedly has his sights set on a December fight in Saudi Arabia.
Since his loss to Joyce, Dubois has been expertly managed by his promoter, securing three comfortable victories against Joe Cusumanu, Trevor Bryan, and Kevin Lerena. In particular, his four-round dismantling of then-WBA secondary champion Bryan in June showcased Dubois' explosive power. Conversely, for undefeated heavyweight Usyk, these negotiation complications have come at an inconvenient time. The Ukrainian champ had been eyeing a potential clash with WBC champion Tyson Fury in December, which would be a part of a colossal card featuring boxing heavyweights Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua.
News broke earlier that Usyk’s negotiations with Fury have hit a stalemate. The future of the proposed December fight remains in limbo, with uncertainty if both parties can find common ground. This deadlock has prompted speculations about the willingness of the Saudi Skills Challenge to consider Fury and Usyk fighting different opponents on their December card. Interestingly, Fury’s bid to secure a fight with Andy Ruiz Jr also failed recently. Eddie Hearn, the promoter, cited Ruiz pricing himself out of the Fury fight. This raises the question of whether the Saudis would still want Fury, potentially fighting a lower-tier contender, on their December card. The high stakes continue to fuel excitement and speculation in the world of professional boxing.
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