Daniel Dubois lost his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk via fifth-round TKO, though many believe the Brit could have gotten up.
Daniel Dubois‘ confidence seemed like it should have been sky-high going into his undisputed match-up with Oleksandr Usyk, following his wins over Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic, and Anthony Joshua.
However, with rumors of a 70-person party at Dubois’ house, the Brit did not seem to radiate confidence from the opening bell, and his Ukrainian opponent soon took over, dropping and stopping the IBF champion.
Many fighters have since come out to claim that Dubois could have risen from his knockdown, but just like in his first fight with Usyk and his loss to Joe Joyce, he chose not to.
Dave Allen, Derek Chisora, and Tony Bellew accuse Daniel Dubois of quitting
Dubois famously quit against Joyce in what became his first career defeat as a result of a fractured eye socket.
Whilst many debate him taking the knee, with some claiming he wouldn’t have his career now if he hadn’t, and others suggesting it isn’t the way a fighter should act, it would be just years later that he quit again, this time against Usyk.
Usyk struck Dubois with a jab that sent him down, taking a knee once more and allowing himself to be counted out.
Now, in the rematch, Dubois was struck with a heavy overhand right to the jaw by Usyk, but many still believe he was well enough to rise from the knockdown, but opted to stay down once more.
Tony Bellew believes Dubois quit, and said, “I think the question he needs to answer is ‘Why am I doing this?’ […] If he’s doing it for himself, believe you me, guys, he gets up. […] What you’ve seen in Daniel on Saturday was a fighter who takes a really heavy shot, but doesn’t want to get up.”
Fellow British icon, Derek Chisora, told The Sun Sport, “Daniel didn’t get up because he didn’t want no more.”
Additionally, Dave Allen, who recently knocked out Johnny Fisher, spoke to The Stomping Ground on the fight.
“I feel for him, I think his emotions got the better of him, and he just wanted out of there ASAP. […] Poor young man, under a lot of stress. […] I thought Daniel Dubois was technically awful on the night. The game plan was non-existent.”
Daniel Dubois’ trainer fumes at quitting accusations
Don Charles, who used to train Chisora, responded to Del Boy’s criticism of Dubois and his team in an interview with Seconds Out.
“When somebody who’s my first-born in boxing, somebody who gave me the entrance to the boxing business as we know it. That’s actually the one that hurts me. […] This is what’s destroying the black race.”
Charles had strong words for his former charge. It remains to be seen if Dubois will remain with Don Charles after the loss, especially after rumors of Dubois’ father’s heavy interference in the fight and Dubois’ career as a whole.