As the current IBF top challenger, Derek Chisora has a vested interest in the outcome of the fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois.
Usyk is losing to come undisputed at heavyweight for the second time, having done so back in May 2024 when he dethroned Tyson Fury. That win came six years after he also cleaned out the cruiserweight division to become undisputed, and he remains undefeated.
Arguably the most trouble he has been in inside the ropes was in August 2023 when a shot from Dubois put him down on the canvas but it was immediately ruled low and he was given time to recover. He did so before then stopping ‘DDD’ in the later rounds.
After that, Dubois rebuilt and in September last year, defended his IBF title when he knocked out Joshua. Chisora – who was beaten by unanimous decision by the Ukrainian back in 2020 – was ringside and was asked by MailSportBoxing about what he’d seen.
“It was a great shot, it was a beautiful shot. Well done to Daniel. Amazing shot.”
He was then asked if Dubois had enough to beat Usyk off the back of that career-best performance.
“The way Daniel is going right now, yeah, why not?”
It is a tall challenge for Dubois, though he is very much a man in form right now. Should he come out on top, he will be the first British undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999 and will immediately have to turn his attention to top contenders like Joseph Parker and Chisora himself.
