Oleksandr Usyk has brushed off suggestions that age could be a disadvantage in Saturday’s highly anticipated undisputed world heavyweight title clash with British challenger Daniel Dubois.
Usyk, the reigning WBA, WBO, and WBC heavyweight champion, is 38 — 11 years older than IBF titleholder Dubois. Yet the Ukrainian, unbeaten in 23 professional bouts, insisted he remains as sharp and driven as ever.
“38 is not old, you know?” Usyk said during Thursday’s pre-fight press conference. “This guy is motivated, but I am too. I feel good and we’ll see what happens on Saturday.”
Dubois Hungry to Rewrite the Script
Dubois, who suffered a ninth-round TKO loss to Usyk in their 2023 bout in Poland, has bounced back with three wins, including a high-profile victory over Anthony Joshua.
Now 27, he’s eager to reverse the narrative and grab all four major belts.
“I’m going to write my own script,” Dubois declared. “I’ve trained hard, I’m hungry, and I want to do a demolition job. This is my time for greatness.”
Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs) will attempt to become the first British undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999.
Mental Edge Debate Continues
Usyk’s manager, Egis Klimas, claimed Dubois still carried “weakness” in his mentality — a suggestion that fired up the British camp.
“While I was asleep, Usyk beat Tyson Fury twice,” Klimas said, referring to the Ukrainian’s victories over the Gypsy King in May and December 2024.
Trainer Don Charles, on Dubois’ side, dismissed Klimas’ assessment and backed his fighter to deliver an upset.
High Stakes and Heavy Bets
Adding extra intrigue, reports surfaced that Canelo Alvarez had placed a $500,000 bet on Usyk to win.
Dubois was unfazed:
“It don’t mean nothing to me. He’s going to lose his money. I’m a young lion — I just need to execute him.”
With both fighters confident and belts on the line, Saturday’s showdown at Wembley promises fireworks as Usyk eyes undisputed status for the third time, while Dubois seeks to carve his name in boxing history.