IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs) has expressed concerns about Ukrainian boxers' psychological edge ahead of his July 19 rematch with Oleksandr Usyk (23-0, 14 KOs) in London.
Speaking to The Guardian, the 27-year-old British fighter admitted being unsettled by Usyk's remarkable composure during their recent face-off. Dubois emphasized the importance of maintaining his own mental fortitude in the upcoming bout.
"I want to properly beat him on the 19th," Dubois declared. "You know these Ukrainians—they do all this mind work and mind control. But I just need to behave correctly—physically and spiritually. That will be enough."
The London native didn't hold back in his assessment of the undefeated Ukrainian champion: "I think Usyk is quite a boring guy. He's in his own mind, it's all mental games. It's all psychology, but when these guys feel real pain and heat, you can get through them. If strength is on your side, you can do anything. I don't think he can handle the pain and fire I'm going to bring."
The boxing world witnessed tension between the fighters during their Wembley Stadium face-off when Dubois physically pushed Usyk, prompting a reaction from the Ukrainian champion.
According to Statbet analysis, Usyk demonstrated complete dominance in their previous encounter, with the performance statistics heavily favoring the Ukrainian boxer.
Their first meeting in August 2023 ended controversially when Dubois landed what the referee deemed a low blow in the fifth round. Despite protests from Dubois' team and manager Frank Warren filing an appeal—which was subsequently rejected—Usyk secured a ninth-round knockout victory.
As both fighters prepare for this high-stakes rematch, boxing fans await to see if Dubois can overcome Usyk's psychological approach with his promised "pain and fire" strategy.
