Undisputed no more: Usyk vacates IBF heavyweight title (as expected)
Undisputed no more: Usyk vacates IBF heavyweight title (as expected)
Dubois elevated to full titlist ahead of Joshua announcement
A note to Fight Freaks Unite readers: I created Fight Freaks Unite in January 2021 and eight months later it also became available for paid subscriptions for additional content — and as a way to help keep this newsletter going and for readers to support independent journalism. If you haven’t upgraded to a paid subscription please consider it. If you have already, I truly appreciate it! Also, consider a gift subscription for the Fight Freak in your life.
There hadn’t been an undisputed heavyweight champion in the 25 years, not since Lennox Lewis outpointed Evander Holyfield to unify the three major belts in their 1999 rematch.
Finally, Oleksandr Usyk ended the drought when he won a split decision over Tyson Fury to unify the now four major belts in their May18 mega fight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The rare feat of an undisputed heavyweight champion lasted a mere five weeks.
Usyk vacated the IBF title on Tuesday, ending his status as the undisputed champion even though he remains the lineal champion and the clear No. 1 heavyweight in the world.
I am in my 25th year of full-time boxing coverage. Take advantage of that experience by upgrading to a paid subscription for full access to all posts and comments — and also support independent journalism.
IBF interim champion Daniel Dubois has been elevated to full titleholder status as he prepares for the formal announcement at a Wednesday news conference in London that he will make his first defense against former two-time unified titlist Anthony Joshua on Sept. 21 in the main event of a Riyadh Season-backed card at Wembley Stadium in London, where a huge turnout is expected for the British countrymen to fight for the belt.
“Anthony and Daniel, listen: I know, IBF title important to you,” Usyk said in a video he posted to social media. “My present to you on Sept. 21.”
Usyk did not have much of a choice, however. The IBF agreed to sanction Fury-Usyk with the stipulation that winner would next have to face overdue mandatory challenger Filip Hrgovic, who agreed to step aside to allow Fury-Usyk to be for all four belts.
But then he lost by upset eighth-round knockout to Dubois in a fight for the vacant IBF interim title on the June 1 “5 vs. 5” card, also in Riyadh. It had been expected that Usyk would have vacated before Hrgovic-Dubois but a behind-the-scenes deal brokered during fight week allowed Usyk to have more time as undisputed champion before the inevitable move of vacating the title.
With Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs), 35, of England, and Ukraine’s Usyk (22-0, 14 KOs), 37, the former undisputed cruiserweight champion, having a two-fight deal — and their immediate rematch already announced for Dec. 21 — Usyk would not be able to fulfill the mandatory obligation to Dubois.
Besides, an Usyk-Dubois fight would likely generate little interest given that Usyk already dominated and knocked out Dubois in the ninth round when Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), 26, was the WBA “regular” titlist and an Usyk mandatory challenger when they fought last August in Poland.
Should Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs), 34, defeat Dubois in September it could set him up to face the Usyk-Fury II winner for the undisputed crown. That would mean either a third fight with Usyk, who already outpointed him twice in title bouts, or a long-awaited showdown with Fury, which would be by far the biggest fight in the division.
A note to subscribers
I sincerely appreciate your readership. If you’re reading, it means you love boxing just like I do. If you’ve been reading you also know the quality and quantity of what I produce. It’s one-stop shopping. Read the newsletters and there is no need to search multiple websites or click a multitude of links to get the latest news, opinion and detailed fight schedule. Everything you need is in one spot and delivered directly to your inbox (or via phone alert if you download for free the superb Substack app). You don’t have to hunt for the news; it comes to you.
I believe that is worth something, so while I will continue providing stories, notes and the schedule for free, I encourage you to upgrade to a paid subscription for the most content. A paid subscription is your way of keeping this reader-supported newsletter going and supporting independent journalism. I am beholden to no network, promoter, manager, sanctioning body or fighter. If you have read my work at all during the past 24 years I’ve covered professional boxing you know that I keep it real and that will not change.
To upgrade your subscription please go here:
Thank you so much for your support of Fight Freaks Unite!
Usyk photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danrafael1/
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanRafael1
Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanRafaelBoxing
When is Bowe-Lewis happening?
The ibf are a bunch of dickheads they could not lead cows to water usyks the man with or without a belt