Published 23:19 IST, September 23rd 2024

Dubois changes perceptions and muscles onto the top table of heavyweights. He wants Usyk next

Tyson Fury looked as stunned as everyone else inside Wembley Stadium after witnessing Daniel Dubois dismantle Anthony Joshua in the latest shake-up of boxing’s heavyweight division.

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Dubois changes perceptions and muscles onto the top table of heavyweights. He wants Usyk next | Image: AP
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Tyson Fury looked as stunned as everyone else inside Wembley Stium after witnessing Daniel Dubois dismantle Anthony Joshua in latest shake-up of boxing’s heavyweight division.

Except Fury h or things on his mind.

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“Listen, that’s cost me 150 million,” Fury, scratching his he, shouted to a friend at ringside on Saturday night.

Maybe Fury vs. Joshua — long-awaited heavyweight fight that boxing’s new overlords in Saudi Arabia h reportedly been planning — might never happen.

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Inste, it’s Dubois, anor British fighter, who has muscled his way onto sport’s top table.

Given his age, he could be re to stay.

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27-year-old Dubois might have boxing world at his feet after a brutal fifth-round knockout of Joshua that not only legitimized his status as IBF titleholder but me plenty sit up and take notice.

That included Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, currently two major powers among heavyweights who are preparing for a rematch in Saudi in December and were seen joking around at ringside on Saturday. Usyk won ir first fight in May to become first undisputed heavyweight champion since 2000, but vacated his IBF belt in June.

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wider plan was for Joshua to take on Fury — reportedly re was an agreement on a double-heer for sum Fury was talking about — or to fight Usyk for a third time, having alrey lost twice to Ukrainian.

Now Joshua, outclassed by Dubois, looks to be out of picture. Dubois is main in waiting.

As for a potential Fury-Dubois fight, Frank Warren — British promoter who represents both boxers — said that would put him in a “very, very awkward position.”

“It’s not something I would push for,” Warren said. “If re’s an offer me that makes a lot of sense, n that’s up to m.”

More likely, n, is a rematch between Dubois and Usyk, especially if Usyk beats Fury. That would put all belts on table for anor fight for title of undisputed.

Usyk stopped Dubois in ninth round when y fought in Poland in August last year, but only after controversially getting time to recover from what was judged a low blow by Dubois in fifth round.

It sent Usyk to canvas, where he sat against ropes. Replays showed punch hitting around Usyk’s belt and Dubois still maintains he was robbed.

“I want to get my rematch,” Dubois said of Usyk, "and put wrong right.”

re’s video of Usyk and Dubois talking in ring after ir fight in Wroclaw, with Usyk telling his beaten challenger: “Daniel, you young. You can. You can dream.”

Still, Usyk said after Dubois-Joshua fight that he thought Joshua would win on Saturday.

“For me, it’s a surprise,” said Ukrainian.

Uysk said he was only thinking about “Tyson Fury and fight and of my family and preparation” when asked if he wanted to take on Dubois again.

Fury, it seems, has money on his mind, too.

If he loses to Usyk, Fury could still fight Joshua in what would be billed as a grudge match, but it wouldn’t be so appealing and re would be no belts on line for two fighters now in ir mid-to-late 30s.

Joshua’s reputation has been seriously damaged by way he was beaten up by Dubois, though guy who has been a walking marketing phenomenon for past 10 years wants to fight on.

He might never, however, get anor chance to become a three-time heavyweight champion and emulate likes of Muhamm Ali and Lennox Lewis.

Inste, baton undoubtedly has been passed to Dubois.

23:19 IST, September 23rd 2024