Oleksandr Usyk vs. Daniel Dubois: Preview & Betting Tips

Their first meeting in August 2023 ended in ninth-round stoppage favouring Usyk, but it wasn’t without controversy.

In that bout, a body shot from Dubois in Round 5 sent Usyk to the canvas, but was ruled a low blow by the referee. With Dubois’ team appealing the result, the WBA upheld the original verdict, and Usyk walked away with the win and his titles intact.

Much has happened since that point, Dubois has improved, while Usyk has shown the same level of dominance. But, the Ukrainian is approaching 40 years of age. In contrast, Dubois is still only 27. 

No matter how good you are, this is a young man’s sport, and despite the clear skill advantage for Usyk, Dubois has the physical advantage and the power to potentially cause a big upset.

Usyk vs Dubois: Prediction & Betting Tips

Usyk’s gameplan is simple: stay mobile, use angles to keep Dubois turning, and level change, which could set up an overhand left to the head. I expect Usyk to keep a high pace from round one because Dubois is much more dangerous when he has time to breathe and think about his work. 

Whereas for Dubois, keeping the pressure high early, and attacking the body again, could pave a way for his revenge. He is the much stronger man so making it a physical fight should benefit him. 

There isn’t really much value on the side of Usyk, unless you’re looking at round group betting. Plus, he’s 38 now, and the statistics show that no matter how good you are, once you reach 36 or older, you will slow down and start to decline. With this in mind, I’m taking a punt on the underdog. 

I will be wagering something on Daniel Dubois to win in rounds 5-8 at odds of 12.00. Why rounds 5-8 you may ask? I can see Usyk getting on his bike for the first 3 or 4 rounds, but with Dubois investing in the body, Usyk usually takes a round off around halfway to catch his second wind, so this is where I think Dubois can capitalise with his pressure and power punching.