Daniel Dubois ready to ‘rough up’ unified world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk
Daniel Dubois has promised to “rough up” Oleksandr Usyk as the South Londoner bids to become unified world heavyweight champion on Saturday night.
The 25-year-old from Greenwich is facing the IBF, WBA and WBO champion in Wroclaw, Poland – the nearest Usyk can be to fighting on home soil.
Ukrainian Usyk is expected to have 40,000 compatriots in the crowd backing him as he looks to defend his belts.
“You have got to rough him up,” said Dubois. “It is no secret – you can’t stand there and try and outbox him. I know what I’ve got to do.
“My dad told me before I started boxing: ‘You want to be heavyweight champion’. We were watching Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson and Frank Bruno. They did it – now it is my turn.”
Dubois’ promoter Frank Warren said: “I genuinely believe he can win. He’s hungry and got all the attributes – he can jab, he’s faster than people give him credit for, can punch with both hands and is a very good finisher.
“I wouldn’t have made the fight otherwise – we had the opportunity to step aside. But I saw down with Daniel and the team, his father was there. We talked about it a lot. It was ‘let’s go for it’.
“I think he’s got the temperament to do it.”
PICTURE: PA