It’s been exactly 22 months and 9 days since it all began. Oleksandr Usyk, the former undisputed heavyweight champion, had just beaten Anthony Joshua for the second time. Meanwhile, Daniel Dubois was still recovering from his first career loss to Joe Joyce two years prior. Their paths collided at Wroclaw Stadium in Poland, and what unfolded that night ignited the fire behind their highly anticipated July 19 rematch at Wembley Stadium.

Usyk was chasing history, aiming to unify all the heavyweight belts—a dream he would eventually fulfill. But ‘DDD’ stood in his way. Though Usyk controlled much of the bout, the fifth round sparked controversy after a low blow from Dubois left the Ukrainian on the canvas. Despite the debate surrounding the legality of the shot, Usyk rallied and secured a ninth-round knockout. Yet, questions still linger: What if Usyk hadn’t been given time to recover? What if it wasn’t a low blow?

That unresolved tension is why they meet again. Dubois, now 27, has evolved—and many believe he has a real shot in the rematch. But Usyk is focused on closing the chapter for good and silencing the doubters. With fight night drawing near, the Ukrainian star delivered a heartfelt message to his mother: “Look, mom, I can fly,” before issuing a pointed reminder to Dubois: “2 weeks until Undisputed.” Interestingly, though, it’s thanks to Usyk that Dubois was able to get his hands on the IBF strap.

After beating Tyson Fury the first time, Usyk sacrificed the IBF strap to give Fury a rematch, which wouldn’t have happened if ‘The Cat’ had decided to defend his IBF strap against the mandatory challenger, Filip Hrgovic. Dubois would go on to face Filip Hrgovic for the Interim belt, and it was then that he managed to beat the Croatian boxer and start his rapid ascent in the division with a belt to show for it. A shocking and dominant win over Anthony Joshua last year cemented his position in the division, which has led him to the position he is in today as the IBF champion.

And he promises to capitalize on the opportunity he has been given. 

Daniel Dubois reveals what he intends to do to beat Oleksandr Usyk

‘Dynamite’ Dubois plans to continue his momentum in the upcoming rematch against Oleksandr Usyk, as he revealed his game plan to do what hasn’t been done yet—beat ‘The Cat.’ Determined that the fight would go his way this time, Dubois continues to claim he was “robbed” during the first encounter in Poland.

“I thought it landed. We worked on that shot for a long time in camp. I feel like they robbed me,” Dubois told DAZN’s Carl Frampton. As for the rematch, Dubois plans to target Usyk’s body even more. “This time I’ve got to throw the kitchen sink at him, land everywhere,” he said. “I’m a better fighter now—more improved, better conditioned,” he added.

In case Dubois creates another upset, he will become the first English undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999. However, as Mike Tyson once said, everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. Can ‘DDD’ avoid such a fate? Or will Usyk remain undefeated and a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion?