September 08, (THEWILL) – World heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury, has accused Oleksandr Usyk of cheating and quitting during his recent title defence against Daniel Dubois.
In the fight last month, Usyk was floored by a body shot from Dubois in the 5th round, but was given time to recover after the referee ruled it a low blow. Usyk went on to stop Dubois in the 9th round to retain his WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO belts.
However, Fury was critical of Usyk’s reaction to the body shot, saying: “I thought he lost and he quit, and once you quit once, you’ll always quit.” He compared it to when Dubois was stopped by Joe Joyce after taking a jab to the eye. “It’s tough to say somebody’s quit, but Usyk quit with a body shot and rattled around the floor for five minutes and the other one quit with a jab. But the truth is the truth”, Fury added.
Dubois’ promoter, Frank Warren, has lodged an official appeal over the outcome. Fury also accused Usyk of cheating, saying the body shot clearly landed on the belt line. “Supposed to be this big god-fearing man, rolling up and down with a low blow and it hit him on the beltline. Come on,” said Fury.
The two heavyweights were close to finalising a fight earlier this year before negotiations broke down. But Fury says the bout could still happen if Usyk accepts a smaller purse. “If he wants big bucks, if he wants a seat at the king’s table, then you’ve got to play ball with the master,” stated Fury.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
