London, UK – Oleksandr Usyk further solidified his claim as one of boxing’s modern greats, delivering a devastating fifth-round knockout of Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, July 19, 2025. The emphatic victory, sealed with a crunching left hook to Dubois’ jaw, saw Usyk become the undisputed world heavyweight champion for a second time.
The undefeated southpaw (24-0, 15 KOs) retained his WBA, WBC, and WBO belts and regained the IBF belt he had relinquished just over a year ago. Despite his growing list of accolades, the 38-year-old Ukrainian humbly dismissed the “all-time great” label, stating he is merely disciplined. However, his performance at Wembley provided mounting evidence to the contrary.
Usyk’s Dominance and Punching Power on Display
Usyk dropped Dubois twice in the fifth round. The decisive blow came midway through the round, a lunging left hook after Dubois missed with a right. The London native looked visibly stunned on the canvas and was unable to beat the count before a capacity crowd of approximately 90,000 spectators at Wembley.
Known more as a slick tactician than a knockout artist, Usyk certainly answered any lingering questions about his punching power and whether age would diminish his speed. His manager, Egis Klimas, later echoed Usyk’s own description of the punch, quoting Usyk: “Ivan is like a big guy who lives in (the) village and work in (a) farm… it’s a hard, hard punch.”
This was Usyk’s second victory over Dubois in under two years. Their first encounter in Poland in 2023 ended in a ninth-round stoppage for Usyk, marred by a controversial low-blow ruling. There was no such drama this time; the finishing shot was a clean, undeniable knockout.
Dubois’ Valiant Effort and Future Outlook
Daniel “Dynamite” Dubois (22-3, 21 KOs), aged 27, joined British countrymen Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in having lost twice to the Ukrainian maestro. Dubois’ previous fight at Wembley last September had been a stunning fifth-round knockout of Anthony Joshua, where he retained the IBF title. However, he couldn’t replicate that magic against Usyk.
“I gave everything I had. Take no credit away from that man, I’ll be back,” Dubois told DAZN after the fight, gracious in defeat. While he gave a better showing than their first meeting, where Usyk largely peppered him with jabs, the advice from his corner between the fourth and fifth rounds to use a double jab came too late, as Usyk closed the show shortly thereafter. Dubois had hoped to become the first British heavyweight to hold every major belt since Lennox Lewis over 25 years ago, having inherited the IBF title Usyk vacated to focus on his rematch with Fury.
What’s Next for the Undisputed Champion
With the undisputed crown firmly back in his possession, Usyk, who said he’s still a “young guy” at 38, has no plans to retire soon. He named a formidable list of potential next opponents, including Tyson Fury, Derek Chisora, Anthony Joshua, and Joseph Parker. Even social media sensation Jake Paul, who was loudly booed during his appearance at Wembley, threw his hat in the ring, engaging in a brief staredown with Usyk after the fight and teasing a potential MMA match.
Usyk’s undisputed status across two weight classes – having previously unified the cruiserweight division before moving up six years ago – solidifies his extraordinary legacy in professional boxing.
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