Was the shot low and could Daniel Dubois have fought on? Those are the two top talking points from the young Brit’s world title challenge against unified champion, Oleksandr Usyk.
The Ukrainian dominated most of the proceedings, bamboozling Dubois in moments with his footwork and lead hand. In the fifth round that all changed, with Dubois going to the body badly hurting Usyk.
It was immediately ruled a low blow by referee Luis Pabon, and Usyk was granted over three minutes to recover. That moment has prompted Dubois – who went on to lose by stoppage – and his team to lodge an appeal for a rematch.
Arum – who co-promotes the WBC World Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury with Dubois promoter, Frank Warren – doesn’t agree. He told IFL TV in no uncertain terms that the shot was low.
“It was an [illegal] punch. Maybe the referee gave him a little bit too long to recover, but I watched it on television, it was a low blow.”
Arum then went on to weigh in on the debate surrounding Dubois’ will to fight on. The Brit was knocked down in the eighth round, by then Usyk comfortably in control once more.
In the ninth, he would be dropped again, this time by a sharp right hand with all the qualities of a solid jab. Dubois watched the referee count and stood on nine. In Arum’s book, he quit.
“It seemed to me Dubois, after throwing that low blow, quit. Why he did I don’t know. I don’t know. But Usyk, when he fights Tyson Fury, will give him plenty of problems.”
The 25-year-old’s next steps are unclear. Should the appeal fail to produce a rematch, he faces a fight back to the top, but has plenty of time to do it.