John Fury has seemingly changed his prediction for Daniel Dubois’ shot at Oleksandr Usyk’s three world title belts on August 26 in Wroclaw, Poland.
Dubois has rebuilt after suffering a defeat to Joe Joyce in 2020, and, although he recognises his underdog status in this fight, he is still relishing his chance.
It’s a chance Fury – the father of the heavyweight champion of the world – once gave him. When criticising Usyk for not fighting his son, Fury said he would get knocked out ‘for buttons.’
“He [Usyk] is probably going to get chinned off Daniel Dubois – for buttons!”
Speaking to Seconds Out in a more recent interview, Fury laid out one way it could be “all over” for Usyk, but admitted he didn’t see it playing out that way.
“Well, I was only talking about this earlier with a friend of mine. If Daniel Dubois brings a massive set of cajones to the ring, uses his size, his punching power, it could be all over for Usyk.
But without a large set of you-know-whats and a lot of brains behind it, unless he gets a lucky shot on Usyk and takes him out with one, I don’t see him winning.”
He then goes on to question the timing of the fight for Dubois, who is 25 and has had just 20 fights to date.
“Usyk’s a good little boxer … Has he got the right mentality for it, Dubois? Is he ready for this? Is he there yet in his head? I don’t think he is. Somehow I don’t think so.
But he’s big enough, he’s got the power to upset any man let alone Usyk, but is his mind right? Can he bring the game plan into that ring to unsettle Usyk? Doubtful, but he’s got a chance.”
These are sentiments that have been widely echoed throughout the boxing community with many thinking the Brit’s only chance is by getting through with a big shot. Thankfully for Dubois, the heavyweight division has a history of just that sort of upset.