Daniel Dubois and Oleksandr Usyk’s camps hounded each other with taunts in the tunnel just before the heavyweight brutes’ bout at Wembley.
Mail Sport’s Charlotte Daly was on the scene as the warring factions unleashed their tongues before the bitter showdown.
In the end Usyk dismantled Dubois, winning each round comprehensively before flooring his opponent twice in the fifth to finish him off.
That made the Ukrainian the undisputed world heavyweight champion for the second time and extended his unbeaten professional record to 24 fights – at the age of 38.
Despite his age he may not be done there. In the aftermatch of his explosive win, Usyk listed Tyson Fury, Derek Chisora, Anthony Joshua, and Joseph Parker as potential next opponents.
His boisterous entourage played their part and Mail Sport watched as they out-chanted Dubois’ camp in the Wembley tunnel.
Daniel Dubois and Oleksandr Usyk’s camps hounded each other in the tunnel before the fight
Usyk’s team out-chanted their rivals before the Ukrainian went on to knock out Dubois
The Ukrainian, 38, insisted he was only getting started after beating Dubois for the second time
‘Usyk! Usyk! Usyk!’ the Cat’s camp chanted as Dubois paced down the tunnel.
‘And the new!’ hit back the Englishman’s entourage, seemingly referring to the chance of him becoming the new undisputed heavyweight champion.
So much for that. Usyk produced a magisterial performance to beat Dubois for the second time in three years and go undisputed again.
Dubois, Tyson Fury, and Anthony Joshua have all tried twice against Usyk and been stopped in their tracks.
Indeed, Lennox Lewis remains the last British heavyweight to hold every major belt at the same time, claiming them in 1999 as he defeated Evander Holyfield.
Usyk stayed well out of range, landed his punches smartly, and went for the jugular at the right time to silence any doubters on Saturday night.
Mail Sport’s boxing doyen Jeff Powell had little choice but to award him every round leading up to the fifth, where he finished his dinner.
First, a combo of two left hands and a right sent Dubois down, but he got up at the count of eight.
New face please! Dubois takes a punishing blow to his visage during his title fight defeat
Usyk landed his blows at the right time and evaded any attempts at crushing return hits
He is now the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world for the second time in his career
Dubois, 11 years his opponent’s junior, was floored twice in the fifth round and couldn’t get up
But ferocious left hook sent him tumbling to the deck again and panting hard, and this time there was no coming back.
‘Thirty-eight is a young guy, remember!’ said Usyk in his interview in the ring ‘Thirty-eight, it’s only the start. I want to say thank you to Jesus Christ, I want to say thank you to my team, and to you, Wembley. Thank you so much.
‘It’s for the people, it’s for our world’s people. [I want to do] nothing, it’s enough. I want to rest. I want to be back home with my family, my wife, my children. I want to rest, but maybe two or three months.’
Dubois vowed to return, saying: ‘I have to commend him on the performance. I gave everything I had; there could have been a few things I could have sharpened up on, but don’t take credit away from him. I will be back.’
