Dubois dominates, knocks out Bryan to claim secondary heavyweight title

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Daniel Dubois made easy work of Trevor Bryan, knocking him out in the fourth round of a one-sided fight to take his WBA “regular” heavyweight belt on Saturday at the Casino Miami Jai-Alai in Miami.

Dubois, the prohibitive favorite, had no issue traveling from his home country of England to fight on the home turf of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, resident Bryan and on the pay-per-view card put on by his promoter, 90-year-old Don King, who had won the purse bid for the mandatory bout.

“The only words are 'and the new' and I am just so glad it is now,” Dubois said of claiming the belt that positions him as a mandatory challenger for the winner of the rematch between unified titlist Oleksandr Usyk and former titlist Anthony Joshua, who are due to meet on a date to be determined in August. “It is happening now and we have made it real, my dad and my family. I've done everyone proud, the country (of England).”

Dubois dominated from the opening bell against a lethargic Bryan, who barely threw any punches. Meanwhile, the powerful Dubois consistently backed Bryan up with his heavy jab and never let him get into the fight.

In the third round, Dubois landed a hard right hand that rattled Bryan and had him in trouble late in the round.

In the fourth round, he shook Bryan with a left hook. Later in the round, he landed a right uppercut, took a step back and then connected with a clean left hook on the chin that sent Bryan to canvas face first. Bryan got to all fours and collapsed to the mat again as referee Bill Clancy counted him out at 1 minute, 58 seconds. Bryan then got to his feet and complained but the fight was over.

“In the first round I was just trying to figure him out and see what he had. I said I was going to test the chin and I just went for it,” Dubois said. “He brought out something in me. He brought out a wicked left hand. It was a punch-perfect ending, and I am just so happy. I had a few rough patches during this camp, but we pulled through and we got the victory.”

The largely unknown Bryan (22-1, 15 KOs), 32, won the vacant secondary belt by 11th-round knockout of long-faded former titlist Bermane Stiverne in January 2021 and then made his first defense by split decision win over late replacement Jonathan Guidry this past January. But Dubois (18-1, 17 KOs), 24, was a significant step up in opposition and he could not deal with him at all.

“I’m feeling alright. I knew he was going to come out with big punches, and I was trying to land some and let him tire himself out, but I wasn’t shooting my jab enough,” Bryan said.

Dubois won his third fight in a row since getting knocked out in the 10th round and suffering a broken left eye socket against countryman Joe Joyce for the vacant European title in November 2020.

“I am just so happy to have got this world title,” Dubois said. “This is what all the hard work was for and, no disrespect to Trevor, but his ‘0’ had to go and I was just in there on a demolition mission.  

“I am ready for whoever is next. I believe this will instantly make me a better fighter now. When you win the world title they say you become next level so names like Dillian Whyte and Joseph Parker are all on my hit list. I will fight whoever (promoter) Frank (Warren) puts me in with next.”

Photo: David Martin-Warr /Don King Productions

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