“gutted” Daniel Dubois skipped last night’s post-match press conference as his camp confirmed they will lobby for a no contest following a controversial low blow call in the loss to Oleksandr Usyk.
World heavyweight champion produced a ninth-round stoppage in Wroclaw to keep hold of his WBA, IBF and WBO belts, and a 14th knockout win in 21 fights, but the referee’s decision to allow Usyk to recover after he was buckled by a low blow from Dubois in the fifth, had caused significant controversy.
The shot was deemed accidental, but promotor Frank Warren said his camp would be taking action seeking either a no contest or rematch.
He said: “The situation is that we will be lobbying the WBA to declare this as a no contest. The knockdown which the referee said was below the belt… the punch actually landed on the waistband of his shorts.
Low blow? Usyk was floored by the shot and given almost four minutes to recover
/ AFP via Getty Images“The criteria, as is explained at the rules meeting, waist is the mid-point of your hips. So it’s much lower.
“That was a legitimate blow and (the fight) should’ve been stopped. He got three minutes and 46 seconds recovery time, which was wrong. He got it wrong the referee and I still don’t understand, if it was a low blow, why he didn’t take any points off him.
“I don’t think (the referee’s) crooked, I think he just got it totally wrong. As a result, it should be declared a no contest in the worst case, or a rematch ordered.”
Dubois did not attend the press conference, but earlier told talkSPORT: “It wasn’t to be my night. But that wasn’t a low blow, it was a body shot. I’m gutted.”
Usyk and his team at their press conference appeared surprised the low blow was even up for date. Promotor Alex Krassyuk said: “Do we have a definition of legal and illegal? The belly button is the line. Anything low of that is a low blow.
Usyk then lifted his shirt and pointing to where he felt the shot landed, adding: “Boxing is sport and gentleman. It’s not a street fight. I’m ready to fight tomorrow. In a rematch. In the street fight. Not boxing gloves but a street fight. Only fists.”
