When push comes to shove! Usyk and Dubois face off at Wembley

WBC, WBA, and WBO heavyweight champion Oleksander Usyk of Ukraine and IBF champion Daniel Dubois had their first face-to-face meeting at Wembley to promote their highly anticipated rematch for the undisputed heavyweight title.

The two warriors will clash again on July 19 at Wembley Stadium, and during the first promotional event on Monday, tensions grew when Dubois shoved Usyk.

The last time the two rivals met was in Warsaw, Poland, in August 2023, where Usyk scored a ninth-round knockout victory, dividing boxing fans around the world.

This was due to Daniel Dubois knocking Usyk down in the fifth round, but the referee ruled it was a prohibited low blow, allowing Usyk time to recover from the knockdown.

This result still infuriates Dubois, who showed his resentment at England’s national football stadium on Monday by pushing his opponent. However, shortly afterward, they were seen laughing, also demonstrating the cordiality that unites them.

“I am grateful to God for the opportunity to fight once again for the undisputed championship,” Usyk said. “Thank you, Daniel, for taking care of my IBF belt; now I want it back.”

Dubois responded: “This is the fight I wanted and demanded, and now I have the opportunity to get revenge on Oleksandr Usyk. I should have won the first fight, but the referee prevented me from doing so, so this time I won’t make a mistake in front of my fans at the national stadium in my hometown.”