Oleksandr Usyk brandished three fingers in the face of Daniel Dubois at the final media conference before they fight for the undisputed world heavyweight championship at Wembley Stadium this Saturday night.
No, not by way of predicting in which round he will knock out the young Londoner who is hoping to put an end to the Ukrainian war hero’s unbeaten record.
Usyk was affirming his expectation of crowning his legend by becoming an undisputed world champion for a third time.
First at cruiserweight. Secondly at heavyweight in the process of beating both Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury twice. Next by taking from Dubois the only one of the four alphabets not currently in his possession.
‘No way,’ said Dubois. ‘He’s making the mistake of believing I’m still the same boy he beat in our first fight two and a half years ago. Wrong. I’m in my prime now.’
At Wednesday’s public workout, Dubois bounced about the canvas like that cat on a hot tin roof and had the crowd a-jumping to his yells of confidence that he will end Usyk’s unbeaten reign as the heavyweight of the century.
Daniel Dubois has told Oleksandr Usyk that he is ‘not the first boy’ that the Ukrainian beat two years ago
The duo will go head to head for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world on Saturday night
Usyk put three fingers up to signal he is looking to become a three-time undisputed champion
On one thing they agreed at a rather formal affair by Fury standards was both saying almost in chorus: ‘I’m ready to rumble.’
The Ukrainian ring master was buzzing too but used the burst of exercise to re-rehearse in shadow boxing the upward punching he used to great effect in defeating the three British giants.
Usyk v Dubois for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world will be televised live on DAZN pay per view this Saturday night.
