Boxing pundit Johnny Nelson has delivered his verdict on whether Daniel Dubois could pull off a stunning upset if he faces Oleksandr Usyk in a highly anticipated heavyweight rematch.
The pair clashed last year in a controversial bout where Dubois' fifth-round body shot was controversially ruled a low blow by the referee. Usyk went on to win by knockout in the ninth round, but debate still rages about whether Dubois was robbed of a legitimate victory.
Nelson's Analysis of the Controversial First Fight
"That body shot changed everything," Nelson told Daily Mail. "Dubois had Usyk hurt - you could see it in his eyes. The referee's decision to call it low changed the momentum completely."
The former cruiserweight champion believes the incident has given Dubois genuine belief he can dethrone the Ukrainian superstar: "Daniel now knows he can hurt Usyk. That's priceless psychologically going into a rematch."
What Dubois Must Improve for the Rematch
Nelson identified key areas the British heavyweight must work on:
- Pace management: "He burned too much energy early trying to force the knockout"
- Defensive discipline: "Usyk exploited his tendency to drop his right hand"
- Body shot placement: "He needs to be inch-perfect to avoid controversy"
Usyk's Potential Weaknesses Exposed
The Sky Sports analyst noted that Usyk showed rare vulnerability: "For the first time at heavyweight, we saw Usyk genuinely troubled. Dubois proved he's not invincible to power punches to the body."
However, Nelson cautioned: "Usyk is the ultimate adaptor. He'll have studied every second of that fight and will come back smarter."
The Verdict: Can Dubois Shock the World?
Nelson believes the rematch would be a 50-50 affair: "If Dubois can channel that frustration positively and work on his stamina, he's got a real chance. But Usyk's experience in big fights might still be the difference."
The boxing world waits to see if the WBA will order the rematch, which would undoubtedly be one of 2024's most explosive heavyweight showdowns.
