Comments Thread For: Daniel Dubois or Joseph Parker? Determining who Oleksandr Usyk should face next

[CarlW]

It's so rare when an ATG can retire undefeated, so I'm with you on this. Usyk has nothing left to prove.

It's even rarer that an ATG retires and no one is left standing. Kabayel, Parker, and Dubois are still standing. One thing people like about Usyk is that he truly strives for greatness, and who can doubt he wouldn't seem greater with three more good wins on his record.

[madmax84]

For me its very simple. DDD vs Usyk and Parker vs Kabayel on the same card. The winners fight each other later this year. That gonna be cool.

[RingoKid]

Sniffles chickened out on Parker and quit vs Usyk. He doesn't deserve a unification bout. While Parker v Usyk is a fight we've never seen before.

Sniffles can defend his belt vs the very much worthy Kabayel to earn another shot at either Usyk or Parker.

Im picking Kabayel rips him a new arsehole.

[Bull Pit]

Just as I would prefer to see Benavidez fight Bivol than Beterbiev next . I would prefer to see Usyk fight Parker. I have seen Bivol Beterbiev twice now but Benavidez would bring a different style than Beterbiev. Ive already seen Dubois in with Usyk so Parker is my choice. I believe Parker’s style would be harder for Usyk than any of his previous defenses. Parker is on his best run ever imo. Parker can counter box punch move around with Usyk .

[LG Motel 22]

Anyone who says Dubois is a nuffie

[Bob]

Just saw Frank talking up Dubois v his mandatory Del boy, that fills Wembley on a warm summer night.
Usyk Parker it is then with Kabayel avoided once more.

[PRINCEKOOL]

Oleksandr Uysk as a World Heavyweight Champion 'Should defend his titles, and fight his latest mandatory opponent. That fight is against Joseph Parker'.

It is as straight forward as that. Uysk has already voluntary vacated his IBF titles 'And it would not be a good look at all, if he was to once again vacate another World title. Just because either the chosen opponent or timing of the fight is not optimal for him'.

That may sound harsh, but? That is the challenge of being a World Champion 'Oleksandr Uysk is a great fighter and champion. But in my opinion in recent times as a Heavyweight fighter, I think people within the boxing community are being very lenient towards Uysk. If Oleksandr Uysk has not retired, and he is still officially a World Champion? Then he has to adhere to the rules, mandates of the boxing organisations. Champions always have something to prove'.

World titles are only going to maintain and gain prestige if the fighters 'Adhere to the rules and regulations of those boxing organisations. And if the boxing organisations mandate their rules without any favouritism or subjectivity'.

Both Oleksandr Uysk and Daniel Dubois are both World Champions 'They are not contenders, or fighters without any titles. Therefore they have an obligation to be worthy champions with their conduct. They both have to defend their titles next, against their mandatory challengers'.

Daniel Dubois has already been smashed up by Oleksandr Uysk I 'His effort in trying beat Uysk, was worst than both Tyson Fury's and Anthony Joshua's. Both Fury and Joshua fought 24 rounds each vs Oleksandr UysK I & II. Daniel Dubois in comparison was done by round 5-6 in his fight vs Uysk, and was eventually then knocked out by a Jab. A single Jab from a cruiserweight in Oleksandr Uysk who has never been renowned for his punching power'.

Yes Daniel Dubois was aggressive and game vs OIeksandr Uysk 'But that style of fighting from Dubois was in my opinion, only on display because? Skill or skill in comparison to Fury and Joshua? Dubois is a few levels below those fighters. The lower the skill level in a fighters game, the more a fighter will rely on brute strength, aggression and power from my observation'.

But there seems to be a narrative within the boxing community, that Daniel Dubois had been one of Oleksandr Uysk's toughest fights at Heavyweight 'I personally don't think from a technically and physiological perspective, that it was a more difficult challenge for Uysk than his fights against Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua or Derek Chisora'.

Derek Chisora at his peak, or just outside of his peak 'Skill for skill has a more sophisticated inside game than Daniel Dubois. Chisora also has by far superior levels of endurance, and higher levels of durability. Derek Chisora may have lost many fights at World level, but? He has not lost those fights due to being a front runner like Daniel Dubois'.

Dubois's rise towards winning the IBF Heavyweight titles has been inspiring 'He has shown courage and perseverance. But as a fighter I still think he is a front runner at top level, beating a domestic level American Heavyweight in Jarrell Miller inside 10 rounds, and Filip Hrgovic does not disprove to me that at top level? Daniel Dubois as a fighter is a front runner'.

So, to bring this to a conclusion. The two Heavyweight Champions need to fight their mandatory challenger next 'Oleksandr Uysk should fight Joseph Parker, and Daniel Dubois should fight the winner of Martin Bakole vs Efe Ajagba'.

But I am aware? That there would be a potential opportunity for Anthony Joshua to get his rematch vs Daniel Dubois II, before the IBF mandatory defense 'This is because the timing of the fight between Bakole and Ajagba, they will fight on May 3rd in New York City, Time Square. Daniel Dubois is going to most likely want to fight again in the summer, which coincides with Anthony Joshua's projected comeback date' etc.

[VislorTurlough]

It’s April in a few days. Be nice if Usyk would set his next fight.

[White-Bob]

Everyone knows 2boys is the true undisputed HW champion..usyk about passed out with one of the cleanest body shots you'll ever see

[Willow The Wisp]

Say what? Oleksandr came up from cruiserweight and you're complaining that he won fights by decision in the heavyweight division? You should be asking why the big guys living in the glow of media attention and rolling in cash and luxury soft touches, couldn't batter Oleksandr into the nearest hospital. Then you complain about once a year fights, which regularly occur in boxing and Oleksandr defied this to beat Tyson Fury twice in a year (May and December 2024).

Also, how do you know who Oleksandr is lining up? I don't know why he is still fighting, he deserves respect. I will respect him if he retires and respect him if he continues fighting. Perhaps he is fighting on to give money to the Ukrainian army or rebuild hospitals or schools or homes or care for cemeteries full of children in a devastated home land.

Absolutely. Now, to be clear; Oleksandr Usyk is a shoe-in Hall of famer, a truly great fighter and the best heavyweight on the planet. That's a lot.
Where my focus was, relates only to the volume of work performed in the Heavyweight division, and the suddenly popular proclamation that "Usyk is the G.O.A.T. at Heavyweight, except maybe for Ali".
Fans are like a sporting dog that spots a squirrel.

My post urges folks to just pump the brakes a little, even while acknowledging Usyk's obvious accomplishments.
A hard fought win over Chisora, Two wins over Joshua, a KO win over Dubois and two close nods over Fury. A fine, fine run, to be certain. But G.O.A.T? Not quite there.
Not quite yet.

DelBoy, in between the kind of unexpected wins we expect from a true perennial contender, has served as a stepping stone for the bulk of his career.
Joshua, was once thought of himself as a surefire G.O.A.T. candidate, before his significant shortcomings were revealed, and the value of those two close wins for Usyk have eroded some in lite of Josh's pattern of Titanic disasters. Dubois was pushed up young, and like Parker and Whyte, he's used his early setbacks for learning, and he continues to show improvement. Minus the belt blow controversy, however; it was an extraordinary W for Usyk.
Fury has clearly had a bite taken out of him by his wars with Deontay Wilder, as would have been the case with anyone; and seeing Fury edged in 2024 is likely something that would play out somewhat differently against the Fury of, say, 2018-2021. Wilder sent him down hard four times, one of them down a out. It's highly unlikely that Fury's body has forgotten all of that.

So it's no knock on Oleksandr Usyk. Just a right sizing of our perception.