Carl Froch has given a detailed breakdown of the rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois.
This much-anticipated heavyweight clash is a rerun of their first contest in August 2023. Dubois was much greener then, but still did well and had Usyk down from a shot, although it was ruled low.
Usyk rallied and got the knockout win in the ninth round and has since beaten Tyson Fury twice to become undisputed champion.
He relinquished the IBF for the second fight, and Dubois picked it up with a knockout win over Filip Hrgovic, then defended it with a knockout of Anthony Joshua last time out in September.
Speaking to Sporting Talk, Froch gave his view on Usyk and his age and current boxing mileage.
“Can he shock the world? In a word, yes, he can, because Usyk is 38, so I’ve been 38, nine years ago, but I know how it feels. I retired at 36, I was a month away from being 37 when I chinned Groves at Wembley in front of 80,000 fans and went on to become an International Boxing Hall of Famer.
“I did the weight easy, and I say easy ’cause I’m not lying around in space suits trying to take the weight off. I was eating all week and doing it properly, professionally. I think that Usyk at 38-years-old, although he’s not got the issue with weight at heavyweight, because you can weigh what you want.
“He’s still got a mind that’s slowing down, still got reflexes that are diminishing, still got old joints and old bones, hundreds of fights in the amateur.”
He then went on to asses Dubois’s current form.
“Dubois is young. The first fight was quite close when Dubois was unsure of himself. Dubois has gone and flattened ‘AJ’, had a couple of fights against Jarrell Miller and looked good against Hrgovic. You’ve got to say now Dubois is a machine and time waits for no man.”
Finally, he gave his prediction and sided with the unified champion, just.
“It’s exciting, good fight, you’ve got to make Usyk the favourite, but it’s a fight Dubois can win. I don’t think Usyk should keep fighting. If I was gunna put a percentage on it, I would say it’s closer to even, but I give Usyk the edge, 55-45%.”
