Oleksandr Usyk knocked out Daniel Dubois in the ninth round to retain his WBO, WBA and IBF heavyweight world titles.
And post-fight, the 36-year-old said he is ‘ready to fight Tyson Fury tomorrow’.
In the early rounds it was fairly even affair with both fighters, though Dubois’ underdog status was still very much on display compared to the formidable Usyk.
It was at the fifth round that things began to really spice up, with Usyk going down and looking hurt from a low blow was on the backfoot, though the Ukrainian still managed to land a huge left hand on his opponent.
From then on, Dubois began to take control as he built in confidence, coming out fast in both Rounds 6 and 7 and turning the fight into an aggressive fast-paced shootout.
But while the Brit had his eyes on a knockout blow, Usyk had other ideas and continued to carefully apply the pressure eventually getting the upper-hand in the eighth, knocking Dubois down at the end of the round and he only just beat the count.
But he could not beat the count for a second time, going down in ninth round, though post-fight, Dubois and others expressed their displeasure with the referee Luis Pabon for calling a low blow on Usyk in Round 5, saying he had been ‘cheated out of victory’.
Speaking to TNT Sports, Usyk said: ‘I feel good. I am grateful for my team, my family, my children. I love you.
‘I’m grateful for my county and the Ukrainian army. Thank you so much.
‘Boxing is a tough sport, but I’m great. It’s boxing I love. I respect my opponent, but it’s boxing, it’s not ballet. It’s king sport.
‘I’m ready tomorrow. Listen, I’m ready. Next fight I’m ready to fight Tyson Fury.
‘Will Tyson Fury? I have no idea. I can’t wait to see my children and be back home. I’ve been training a long time. I’m a little bit tired.’
MORE : How Daniel Dubois can do the seemingly impossible and stop Oleksandr Usyk to become world champion
MORE : ‘Nothing can change that’ – Johnny Nelson says Daniel Dubois has ‘quit in his DNA’ which Oleksandr Usyk will expose in title fight
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