The debate about Daniel Dubois’s now infamous fifth-round shot on Oleksandr Usyk rages on after the fight.
The contest was largely one-sided but for the low blow controversy. Usyk kept Dubois at distance, putting him down in the eighth with a barrage of shots, as well as again in the 9th to ultimately end the fight and retain his WBO, WBA and IBF world titles.
‘Cheat’ was the accusation of Dubois’s coach Don Charles in the wake of the fight last Saturday night in Poland. Charles also likened Usyk to as bad as a PED user.
Speaking to Boxing King Media, former Dubois coach McGuigan strongly disagreed.
“That’s definitely raw emotion. I like Don. But [Usyk] is not a cheat, he’s probably one of the most honourable men out there. He’s a boxing purist. He spent a lot of time in the amateurs and they’re very professional.”
Speaking further on the low blow itself, McGuigan couldn’t decide definitively either way.
“You don’t know [if it was low] until you’re Usyk. The cup sits out so the cup probably got hit and dragged up. It’s the trajectory of the shot, if you’re hit low to high you can drag the cup. Even if you hit the cup protector you can still drag the cup up and that can hit your ‘nads.”
He then gave Usyk the benefit of the doubt and signed the responsibility to the referee.
“Usyk did what he needed to do to get through the situation. It’s all on the referee in my opinion.”
Though Dubois and his team have said they will appeal for a rematch, and in light of news of the WBA anointing a new ‘Regular’ champion, it seems more likely Usyk will now move on to defend his IBF title against mandatory challenger Filip Hrgovic.
