If it wasn’t already clear then it certainly is now. Usyk is the standout heavyweight of his generation.
Usyk has not just cleaned out his biggest rivals – Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Dubois – but he has gone all the way round the block and defeated each of them twice.
He dethroned Joshua in just his third fight as a heavyweight to become a unified champion and it has been an upward trajectory ever since.
The easy path is not one Usyk likes to explore.
After becoming the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era by beating Fury in 2024, Usyk had the option to defend that status by accepting a mandatory defence of his IBF strap against Dubois.
However, he elected to vacate that title in order to pursue a rematch with Fury and record a second successive victory, before circling back to reclaim the IBF title from Dubois at Wembley.
“What he achieved today, it was designated by him a little bit more than a year ago,” Egis Klimas, Usyk’s manager, said.
“His decision was to vacate the title and let Dubois beat someone, and then to fight for a third time for undisputed. That was his plan a year ago. He is not just a good boxer but he is good mentally.”
Usyk is head and shoulders above any active heavyweight, with Fury offering his greatest test, while Joshua and Dubois are several rungs down the ladder.
