Usyk Retains Heavyweight Title with Victory Over Dubois

Reports indicate that the WBO Championship Committee will convene this week to deliberate on the mandatory defense requirements for Oleksandr Usyk, the undisputed heavyweight champion.

Following Usyk’s triumph over Daniel Dubois and a potential future match with Tyson Fury in 2025, attention is turning to Usyk’s WBO obligations.

WBO President Gustavo Olivieri stated in an interview that the organization will evaluate the situation during a meeting this week.

Olivieri noted that the Committee will assemble this week to decide on the next steps regarding the mandatory title defense in the heavyweight division.

He lauded Usyk’s performance and hailed him as an exceptional talent and an exemplary person.

Olivieri added that it is an honor for the WBO to have Usyk as their champion, given that the WBO was his first major sanctioning body.

Usyk defeated Daniel Dubois in the fifth round at Wembley Stadium.

The Ukrainian fighter has become the first boxer to hold the undisputed champion title for a third time, having previously achieved this status at cruiserweight (2018) and heavyweight (2024).

Oleksandr Usyk controlled the initial rounds and knocked down Dubois early in the fifth during their contest. He secured the victory with a left hook, defeating his British opponent in front of approximately 90,000 spectators.

Usyk’s initial match against Dubois occurred in August 2023, where Usyk emerged victorious in Poland with a ninth-round stoppage, after having floored Dubois twice.