Oleksandr Usyk retained his world titles earlier by knocking out Daniel Dubois, but as we anticipated, the low blow that maybe wasn’t has been the focus of most of the post-fight chatter.
If you missed the hubbub so far, Usyk (21-0, 14 KO) was dropped in the fifth round on a shot to the body from Dubois (19-2, 18 KO), but referee Luis Pabon ruled a low blow and not a knockdown.
It was, to the best we could see from various replays, a very close call, and one Pabon had to make instantly from where he stood in the ring, not with a bunch of replays in slow motion.
At the moment, Dubois says he feels he was cheated, and promoter Frank Warren has said they will appeal the result. Meanwhile, some fighters believe the shot went low, some don’t. So it really does seem truly controversial, split reactions, and simply not something very clear.
“Dubois should be champion after that body shot, definitely wasn’t a low blow,” said Josh Taylor. He added shortly after, “That was a body shot! Nowhere near his balls. It basically landed on his belly button which the protector was covering. Body shot!”
“It was low, whether his protector is high or not — which should have been pulled at the start of the fight if Team Dubois felt it was high,” Liam Smith offered. “It’s just below waistband. Yes, Usyk milked the time he was allowed, but no one can answer whether he stays down if the ref counts it.”
“I don’t think the shot was low, it was borderline,” said Michael Conlan. “Please relax with ‘DDD should be champion of the world’ because of that, if he was counted, he’d have gotten up.”
More reactions:
That shot landed on the belt. Perfectly legal shot in my opinion.
— Josh Taylor (@JoshTaylorBoxer) August 26, 2023
Dubois should be champion after that body shot, definitely wasn’t a low blow.
Usyk didn’t like and took full advantage of the time given to recover.
Did Dubois give up there &
Quit or was it just a great Jab?— Josh Taylor (@JoshTaylorBoxer) August 26, 2023
That was a body shot! Nowhere near his balls. It basically landed on his belly button which the protector was covering. Body shot!
— Josh Taylor (@JoshTaylorBoxer) August 26, 2023
It WAS low, weather his protector is high or not(which should of been pulled at the start of the fight if team Dubious felt it was high) it’s just below waistband. Ye, Usyk milked the time he was allowed but, no one can answer weather he stays down it the ref counts it.
— Liam Smith (@LiamBeefySmith) August 26, 2023
Every boxer right now thinking Daniel Dubois should be a world champion
— Not Sunny Edwards (@SunnyEdwards) August 26, 2023
I don’t think the shot was low, it was borderline. Please relax with DDD should be champion of the world because of that, if he was to be counted, he’d of got up. #UsykDubois
— Michael Conlan (@mickconlan11) August 26, 2023
Borderline low blows that land on belt line are NOT low blows! No matter how a fighter reacts to it, a warning from referee to “keep them up” is as far as it should go. #UsykDubois
— Sergio Mora (@TheLatinSnake_) August 26, 2023
I’m a big usyk fan..but that’s a tainted win
— TyroneMcKenna (@Tyronemck) August 26, 2023
Dubois defo unlucky not getting the knockdown but let’s be honest if the referee started counting usyk would of been straight up
— Gamal Yafai (@Gamal_yafai) August 26, 2023