Heavyweight Boxing: All four belts at stake as Usyk faces Dubois again

Femi Fabunmi 

Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk and Britain’s Daniel Dubois have completed their final weigh-in ahead of their blockbuster rematch for the undisputed heavyweight championship, set to take place  tonight at Wembley Stadium, United Kingdom.

In a charged atmosphere at BoxPark Wembley, Ukrainian champion Usyk weighed in at 16st 3lb (227 lbs)  the heaviest of his career. British challenger Daniel Dubois came in significantly heavier at 17st 6lb (244 lbs), more than a stone above his opponent.

The weigh-in was not without incident, as Usyk appeared to engage in subtle psychological warfare by stepping in front of Dubois during the face-off, raising his arms and flexing to the crowd.

The move drew loud cheers from supporters and visibly irritated Dubois, who eventually walked off shaking his head.

This will be the second meeting between the two fighters. Their first encounter, held in August 2023 in Wroclaw, Poland, ended with Usyk stopping Dubois in the ninth round to retain his WBA (Super), WBO, and IBF titles. Controversy surrounded that bout, particularly over a disputed body shot that Dubois claimed should have counted as a knockdown.

Now 38, Usyk remains undefeated in 23 professional fights. A former undisputed cruiserweight champion, he moved up to the heavyweight division in 2019 and has since defeated top names including Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.

His experience, footwork, and ring intelligence have made him one of the most respected technicians in the sport.

“This is a great opportunity for my people and my country,” Usyk said following the weigh-in, referencing Ukraine as he kept his comments brief but meaningful.

Dubois, 27, enters the ring with a professional record of 22 wins and two defeats. Since his loss to Usyk, he has bounced back with an impressive run of victories, including stoppage wins over Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic, and a career-defining upset of former champion Anthony Joshua. Now fighting at a heavier weight, Dubois says he’s stronger and more confident than ever.

“I’m locked in, focused, and I can’t wait,” Dubois said at the weigh-in. “I’m going to win by any means necessary.”

The fight will crown the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era, with all major world titles WBA (Super), WBO, IBF, and WBC  on the line. Despite the event taking place in Dubois’ hometown of London, Usyk appeared to have the louder support among the 400 fans in attendance at the weigh-in, many waving Ukrainian flags from the balconies.

Wembley Stadium is expected to host around 90,000 fans on fight night, making it one of the biggest boxing events held in the UK in recent years. Among those attending the weigh-in were former world champion Lennox Lewis, along with fellow heavyweights Joseph Parker and Dave Allen. Lewis, the last Briton to hold all three world titles simultaneously (before the four-belt system), offered Dubois some tactical advice ahead of the fight.

“Dubois needs to use his jab, back Usyk into the ropes, and throw effective combinations,” Lewis told BBC Sport. “He’s the natural heavyweight in this matchup, and he needs to assert that early.”

With high stakes, national pride, and boxing history on the line, Usyk vs. Dubois 2 is shaping up to be one of the most significant heavyweight contests in recent memory.

Bout starts 8pm Nigerian time..