Lerena Hails Usyk and Dubois as Boxing’s Best

South African boxer Kevin Lerena has stated that the upcoming rematch between Daniel Dubois and Oleksandr Usyk, scheduled for July 19, is a ’50-50′ contest.

Lerena, who is preparing to face Lawrence Okolie on the same card and previously lost to Dubois via TKO in December 2022, shared his views in a recent interview. He suggested that both fighters stand out as remarkable talents in the sport today, making the bout evenly matched.

“It’s a 50-50 fight. You might hear that assessment frequently, but it’s accurate here. One fighter possesses immense knockout power and a strong jab, and his confidence is very high. The other is an exceptional tactician, arguably one of the finest boxers of our time,” Lerena observed.

“If Daniel doesn’t manage to trouble Oleksandr within the initial 6-8 rounds, I anticipate Usyk securing a convincing victory. However, Daniel poses a significant threat in the fight’s early stages.

“It’s not to imply Daniel will weaken, but Usyk becomes a more challenging opponent as he establishes his rhythm and range, whereas Daniel is most dangerous early. He can land impactful blows and has an effective jab. Usyk needs to negate that jab and use it for counter-punching, but it’s a truly balanced contest.”

Usyk and Dubois initially clashed in August 2023. Usyk emerged victorious in Poland with a ninth-round KO after twice flooring Dubois. The fight stirred controversy when a punch landed by Dubois was controversially ruled as a low blow by the officials.