The punch was in an area that the ref interprets being low or not. It seemed a bit low to me but I've seen plenty of refs deem shots in the area as fair.
The way Usyk reacted seemed more like a low blow than a body punch (perhaps he was acting?).
I don't think DuBois was robbed of a win any more than Liam Wilson was against Navarrete.
The punch was in an area that the ref interprets being low or not. It seemed a bit low to me but I've seen plenty of refs deem shots in the area as fair.
The way Usyk reacted seemed more like a low blow than a body punch (perhaps he was acting?).
I don't think DuBois was robbed of a win any more than Liam Wilson was against Navarrete.
To me it more took the wind from his sails rather than an incredibly painful low blow
You can hear the air coming out of usyk as the punch lands something a gonad shot doesn't do
Also a proper low blow reaction is to be rolling on the floor extremely animated not sulking into a heap and lying with as limited motion as usyk did
Many times when a referee gives the pre fight instructions in the middle of the ring, I have heard them say to a fighter your trunks are kind of high and tell the fighter a punch on the belt line will be legal. Not sure what the referee instructions were but it should have been legal, Howe it doesn’t change the fact that Dubois is a quitter and has no heart.
I'm amazed at how many people are calling that low blow legal. That shot was right on the bladder. The only reason it looks borderline is because Usyk didn't have his trunks high. DDD himself had his trunks higher, while Usyk's navel was sometimes visible when he moved. The very top of Usyk's belt was right on his navel, meaning any shot on the trunks belt was low. The shot itself was between the bottom part of the trunks belt and below. Definitely low and Luis Pabon made the right call.
If it was a clean punch, that's one thing but when it's "border-line" you leave it at the discretion of the referee. Doesn't really matter because Dumbo Dubois didn't "go for gold" after Usyk was given time. The ref let DDD off the hook with several other low blows in the fight.
And Usyk complained about plenty of clearly legal blows.
He's a smart character. He knows that complaining about low blows will influence the referee when it comes to anything that could be considered low...
... And there was a whole load of waistband there.
People are showing photos like it's some kind of soccer ball ruling where any part of the glove in contact with the waistband or belly button is illegal. If that was true there's be hardly any real estate in the body area that you could hit.
You're right that it's at the discretion of the referee. That's the important factor here. But I think Dubois has every right to feel aggrieved.
He couldn't go for gold against a recuperated Usyk. But against a clearly hurt Usyk he might have had a chance.
Daniel Dubois is right. That punch was legitimate. Anytime a punch lands anywhere on the belt line then it is ruled a legal blow. The referee blew the call.
When a fighter gets hit low the first place they reach for is their groin but Usyk didn't do that because he had the wind knocked out of him from that punch.
Also, the only reason why Usyk stayed down on the canvas that long was to get a disqualification victory over Dubois because he was ready to quit at that point.
Moreover, I believe that the referee was in Usyk's camp hip pocket. He was giving him extra time to recover even after Oleksandr told him that he was fine and ready to go.
Comment