Usyk defeats Dubois: Boxing heavyweight world title fight – as it happened

Our coverage of a fantastic night of boxing is ending now. Thanks for joining us as Oleksandr Usyk knocked out Daniel Dubois to become the undisputed world heavyweight champion for the second time.

Al Jazeera will be back soon with more live sporting action.

But for now, it’s goodbye from Patrick Keddie and Kevin Hand.

Our live coverage will be ending soon but we will have plenty more live text sport commentary in the coming days, including:

• Tuesday, July 22: England vs Italy – Euro 2025 women’s semifinal (kickoff 19:00 GMT).
• Wednesday, July 23: Germany vs Spain – Euro 2025 women’s semifinal (kickoff 19:00 GMT).
• Thursday, July 24: Bangladesh vs Pakistan – T20 cricket (match starts at 19:00 GMT).
• Sunday, July 27: Germany vs Spain – Euro 2025 women’s final (kickoff 16:00 GMT).

Click here to read our full match report following the heavyweight clash in London.

• Oleksandr Usyk beat Daniel Dubois by fifth-round TKO
• Lawrence Okolie beat Kevin Lerena by unanimous decision
• Daniel Lapin beat Lewis Edmondson by majority decision
• Solomon Dacres beat Vladyslav Sirenko by unanimous decision
• Aadam Hamed beat Ezequiel Gregores by unanimous decision
• Lasha Guruli beat James Francis via fifth-round TKO

Former undisputed heavyweight champ Lennox Lewis says Dubois overcommitted a lot with his punches.

“[Dubois] wanted this fight so bad, you could see it. He just wanted to get to Oleksandr Usyk, but he couldn’t,” he told DAZN.

“Oleksandr Usyk is a great mover, a great champion and figured [Dubois] out. Keeping moving works, especially against big punchers – when you try to line him up, he’s not there [any more] and you lose that energy. “

Former world bantamweight and featherweight champion Carl Frampton says that Usyk could “compete in any era”.

“It’s always difficult to compare different eras, I don’t like to do that. But what he’s doing right now is beating everybody,” he said.

“He’s beaten three of the top guys twice in AJ [Anthony Joshua], Dubois and [Tyson] Fury. It’s absolutely incredible.”

Warren is asked who he wants Usyk to fight next, given the promoter has a big roster of challengers, and says the WBO will order Usyk to make his mandatory defence against Joseph Parker.

“So, it’s Joe Parker’s time,” he said.

Dubois’s promoter, Frank Warren, has hailed Usyk’s “fabulous” performance.

“Oleksandr Usyk is a modern-day legend. He’s an unbelievable fighter. In any generation, he would be a great fighter, and I take my hat off to him tonight,” he told DAZN.

“Daniel was ready for it; he trained hard. No complaints, no excuses, the better man won on the night. He’s a fabulous, fabulous champion.”

Dubois’s trainer, Don Charles, said his fighter tried to get going, but he was facing a phenomenal fighter in Usyk.

“At 27 years old, it’s remarkable what [Dubois has] achieved to date. He’ll be back stronger,” he said.

“[He got beaten by] a generational great – if he’s going to lose, lose to someone like that. He’ll be back from this.”

To his credit, Dubois has stuck around in the ring and has given his thoughts to DAZN.

“I have to commend him on his performance. I gave everything I had – there were probably a few things I could have sharpened up on, but take no credit away from the man,” he said.

“But I’ll be back.”

Usyk is pressed again on which opponent could be next.

He sighs and says, “Maybe it’s Tyson Fury”, whom he’s already beaten twice, to a big roar.

He also mentions Anthony Joshua (whom he’s beaten twice), Derek Chisora (whom he has beaten once) and Joseph Parker (whom he has never faced).

“Listen, I cannot say now because I want to go back home,” he says.

Usyk is speaking to DAZN in the ring while draped in all his belts.

“Thirty-eight is a young guy – remember! Thirty-eight is only the start!” he says in English, of course referring to his age.

Usyk thanks Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, his team and Wembley – the latter of which gets an appreciative roar.

He says his win is for the Ukrainian people.

“I don’t know what’s next … I want to be at home with my family, my wife, my children. I want to rest now, but maybe in two, three months … I don’t know, I just want to rest,” he says.

Usyk sank to his knees in tears as he won that fight; he has secured another famous win for his war-torn country.

Dubois had no chance of recovering from that devastating left hook that closed the show.

Usyk was electric from the start, repeatedly landing jabs and stinging left counters.

He put Dubois down twice in the fifth round to get the spectacular finish, and the Ukrainian further cements his legacy as an all-time great of the sport.