Somebody needs to tell Daniel Dubois that doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result isn’t determination. Sometimes, it’s simply refusing to accept what’s staring you in the face.
Following his latest victory over Fabio Wardley on Saturday night, Dubois has once again raised the possibility of fighting Oleksandr Usyk.
Yes, apparently Dubois vs Usyk 3 is something we’re supposed to get excited about.
Why?
Usyk has already stopped him twice. Their second encounter wasn’t particularly competitive, and I haven’t seen anything since to suggest a third meeting would end differently.
I’ve never rated Dubois as highly as some people do. He’s a powerful heavyweight, certainly, but there’s a considerable difference between being able to knock somebody out and being a genuinely outstanding boxer.
Usyk has already exposed that difference.
Now, I’m hoping Dubois’s comments were simply the adrenaline talking after another victory. Fighters are understandably full of confidence when they’ve just won.
But if he genuinely believes a third fight with Usyk is the best move for his career, somebody needs to have a quiet word with him.
Because I can already see the outcome.
Usyk stops him. Again.
And I’m struggling to understand why boxing supporters should pay to watch it happen.
Let’s Be Clear: Dubois Had Every Right to Demand the First Rematch
Before anybody accuses me of being unfair to Daniel Dubois, I want to make something absolutely clear.
I believe he had a legitimate argument for a rematch following their first encounter in Poland in August 2023.
In fact, I’ll go further.
I believe Dubois should have won that fight.
The body shot he landed in the fifth round was ruled low by referee Luis Pabon, giving Usyk time to recover.
I’ve watched that incident, and I still don’t understand what the referee was looking at.
In my opinion, it was a legitimate punch. Usyk went down, and I believe Dubois was denied what should have been a victory.
Of course, the official result was a ninth-round stoppage in Usyk’s favour, and that’s what the record books will show.
But that doesn’t mean we have to agree with the referee’s decision.
The controversy was genuine, the argument was legitimate, and Dubois had every reason to demand another opportunity.
That’s what a rematch is supposed to be about.
Two fighters meet, something controversial happens, and the public wants to know what would happen without that controversy.
So when their second encounter was arranged for Wembley Stadium in July 2025, I had absolutely no objection.
Dubois had his opportunity to put the argument to rest.
Unfortunately for him, that’s exactly what Usyk did.
Wembley Settled the Argument. Why Are We Having It Again?
The second encounter was for the undisputed heavyweight championship.
Think about what that meant.
Every major world heavyweight title was on the line. Dubois was fighting in his home country, in front of an enormous Wembley crowd, with the opportunity to become the undisputed champion.
If ever there was a stage on which to prove the first result had been a mistake, that was it.
And what happened?
Usyk outboxed him and knocked him out in the fifth round.
No controversial low blow. No questionable refereeing decision. No legitimate argument that Dubois had been denied victory.
He was beaten by a better boxer.
It really is that simple.
And that’s why I find the suggestion of Dubois vs Usyk 3 so ridiculous.
Dubois was given the rematch he wanted. He was given the opportunity to settle the controversy. He was given the biggest possible stage to prove his point.
He failed.
So why should he be given another opportunity simply because he doesn’t like the outcome?
At what point does boxing stop indulging fighters who refuse to accept defeat?
Would the Public Really Pay for This Again?
There’s something else that needs addressing.
The second fight was sold on the back of genuine controversy and the undisputed heavyweight championship.
It had everything a promoter could reasonably ask for.
A British heavyweight fighting at Wembley. All four major world titles at stake. A controversial first encounter. And a genuine argument over whether the wrong man had won.
That was the attraction.
Now remove the controversy.
Remove the uncertainty.
Replace it with the knowledge that Usyk has already beaten Dubois convincingly in their rematch.
What exactly are we selling?
A third opportunity for Dubois to prove that he can beat somebody who has already knocked him out twice?
That isn’t a compelling sporting narrative. It’s wishful thinking.
And while the second contest attracted a huge Wembley crowd, I don’t believe promoters should automatically assume those supporters would be interested in paying for the same fight again.
Especially when the second meeting answered the very question that made the rematch attractive.
I have absolutely no interest in paying to watch Dubois vs Usyk 3.
And I suspect I’m far from alone.
Promoters can manufacture another revenge narrative, put together another dramatic trailer and tell us that Dubois is a completely different fighter.
But we’ve heard it before.
At some point, boxing needs to offer supporters something more than another expensive helping of the same product.
Not Every Rivalry Deserves a Trilogy
I’ve written extensively about boxing’s obsession with rematches.
And this is precisely the sort of situation that frustrates me.
A fighter loses. He demands a rematch. He loses again. And suddenly we’re discussing whether there should be a trilogy.
Why?
The greatest trilogies in boxing history existed because there was a genuine rivalry worth continuing.
Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier needed three encounters because they were two extraordinary fighters capable of pushing one another to their limits.
Arturo Gatti and Micky Ward produced three remarkable contests because their styles created extraordinary entertainment.
Those were rivalries that justified further chapters.
But Dubois vs Usyk 3?
Where’s the unfinished business?
The controversy from the first fight was addressed in the second. Usyk won decisively.
There’s nothing left to settle.
I’ve made a similar argument about the prospect of another meeting between Takuma Inoue and Tenshin Nasukawa.
A trilogy shouldn’t become an automatic entitlement.
It should have to earn its place.
And I don’t believe Dubois and Usyk have done that.
Being a Big Puncher Doesn’t Make You a Great Boxer
Here’s where I suspect some Dubois supporters will disagree with me.
I don’t believe Daniel Dubois is anywhere near the boxer Oleksandr Usyk is.
Not technically. Not tactically. And certainly not when it comes to ring intelligence.
Dubois has power.
Nobody is questioning that.
But if power alone determined who won heavyweight fights, boxing would be a very different sport.
Usyk’s greatest strength isn’t simply his movement or his ability to throw combinations.
It’s his ability to make opponents fight on his terms.
He controls distance, changes angles, disrupts rhythm and forces opponents to make decisions they’re uncomfortable making.
Dubois, by comparison, is considerably more predictable.
He wants to establish his punches, use his physical strength and hurt opponents.
Against fighters who allow him to do that, he’s dangerous.
Against somebody who constantly changes the questions, the limitations become obvious.
And that’s exactly what Usyk has demonstrated.
Twice.
Now, people will inevitably point towards Dubois’s victories over Fabio Wardley and argue that he’s improved.
Fine.
But beating Wardley doesn’t suddenly mean you’ve developed the technical ability to beat Usyk.
Those are two completely different challenges.
And unless Dubois has fundamentally transformed his approach, I don’t see how another encounter produces a different outcome.
Why Would Usyk Even Entertain the Idea?
We’ve spent plenty of time discussing what Daniel Dubois wants.
But what about Oleksandr Usyk?
Why would he agree to fight him again?
He’s already beaten him twice.
He’s already won the undisputed heavyweight championship at his expense.
And he’s already demonstrated that he can deal with everything Dubois brings to the ring.
What exactly does Usyk gain from another victory?
Nothing of any real significance to his legacy.
Of course, there’s always money.
Offer a fighter enough of it, and almost any contest becomes possible.
But there’s a difference between a fight being financially attractive and being necessary.
Usyk has achieved more than enough to secure his place among the great fighters of his generation.
He doesn’t need another victory over Dubois to prove anything.
And I would argue that defeating the same opponent for a third time adds considerably less to his reputation than facing a fresh challenge.
If Usyk chooses to continue fighting, I’d rather see him against somebody who presents a different problem.
If he chooses to retire, that’s his decision.
But I see absolutely no reason why he should feel obliged to accommodate Dubois simply because the British heavyweight wants another chance.
Usyk has already given him that chance.
And he knocked him out.
Dubois Should Fight Agit Kabayel Instead
If Daniel Dubois genuinely wants to establish himself among the best heavyweights in the world, there are far more interesting options available.
Agit Kabayel, for example.
That’s a fight I’d happily watch.
Kabayel brings pressure, body punching and a relentless approach that would present Dubois with a completely different set of problems.
Could Dubois’s power discourage Kabayel from coming forward?
Could Kabayel exploit the defensive weaknesses that Dubois has shown throughout his career?
Would Dubois be able to maintain his composure under sustained pressure?
Those are questions worth answering.
And crucially, we don’t already know the answers.
There are other possibilities too, including potential championship unification fights.
Dubois doesn’t need to spend his career chasing the same opponent.
In fact, I think constantly pursuing Usyk risks becoming an unnecessary distraction.
If he believes he’s improved, let him demonstrate that against somebody new.
Build a stronger record. Defend the WBO title. Take on other leading contenders.
Give supporters a reason to believe he’s developed beyond the fighter who lost to Usyk.
Because simply telling us he’s better isn’t enough.
And demanding another rematch certainly doesn’t prove it.
Somebody in Dubois’s Corner Needs to Be Realistic
I don’t expect Daniel Dubois to stand in front of a camera and admit that Oleksandr Usyk is too good for him.
He’s a professional fighter.
Self-belief comes with the territory.
But that doesn’t mean everybody around him has to encourage every ambition, regardless of how unrealistic it might be.
A trainer’s responsibility isn’t simply to tell a fighter what he wants to hear.
It’s to make decisions that give him the best possible chance of succeeding.
And I cannot see how another fight with Usyk achieves that.
What happens if Dubois loses for a third time?
Does he demand a fourth encounter?
Does he insist that another training camp will finally make the difference?
Where does it end?
There’s nothing wrong with accepting that a particular opponent is better than you.
It’s happened to countless fighters throughout boxing history.
The sensible response is to learn from the experience and pursue other opportunities.
Not keep returning to the same opponent in the hope that eventually something changes.
That’s not an attack on Dubois.
It’s an acknowledgement that boxing careers are too short to waste chasing results that are increasingly unlikely to materialise.
Dubois vs Usyk 3: Enough Is Enough
I supported the argument for a rematch after the controversy in Poland.
I believed Dubois had been denied a legitimate victory, and I thought he deserved the opportunity to prove it.
He got that opportunity.
At Wembley Stadium.
For the undisputed heavyweight championship.
And Oleksandr Usyk knocked him out.
That should have been the end of the matter.
Instead, we’re now discussing Dubois vs Usyk 3 as though another encounter is somehow necessary.
It isn’t.
The first fight was controversial.
The second fight was decisive.
And a third fight would serve little purpose beyond providing another payday and allowing Dubois to pursue a result that I simply don’t believe he’s capable of achieving.
Maybe I’m wrong.
Maybe Dubois has developed something extraordinary that we haven’t yet seen.
But I wouldn’t put my money on it.
And I certainly wouldn’t pay to watch him try again.
If Daniel Dubois wants to prove himself, let him face Agit Kabayel, pursue another world title or take on somebody who offers a fresh challenge.
Because boxing doesn’t need another trilogy simply because one fighter refuses to accept the result.
Sometimes, two fights are more than enough.
And in this case, I think Usyk has already made his point.
Twice.
Your Say: Has Dubois Earned Another Shot, or Is Enough Enough?
Do you believe Daniel Dubois deserves a third opportunity against Oleksandr Usyk, or should he accept the two defeats and move on?
Would you actually pay to watch Dubois vs Usyk 3, or would you rather see him face Agit Kabayel or another leading heavyweight?
Don’t just read the argument — get involved in it. Tell me what you think in the comments, share this article with other boxing supporters and see whether they agree.
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Because the sport doesn’t improve when supporters simply accept whatever fight they’re being sold.