Once again, Oleksandr Usyk proved why he’s one of the most clinical finishers in modern boxing. In yet another rematch showcase, the Ukrainian dismantled Daniel Dubois in under five rounds—regaining the undisputed title he never truly lost. The outcome was swift, surgical, and emphatic.

Dubois, meanwhile, looked like a fighter caught between hope and hesitation. From the opening bell, ‘DDD’ attempted to impose his strength, but unlike his bold, bruising performance against Anthony Joshua last year, this time he appeared unsure—second-guessing his approach at every turn. As expected, criticism followed. From his game plan to his temperament, pundits didn’t hold back.

However, does that even matter? Lennox Lewis certainly doesn’t think so. On Monday, ‘The Lion’ posted on X, expressing full support for Daniel Dubois during his fight, believing it was his moment to shine. Unfortunately, the outcome fell short of expectations. In response, user @HamedBoxing shared a screenshot of British boxer Paul Smith’s tweet criticizing Dubois for the loss, prompting Lewis to share his take on the matter.

According to Smith, Daniel Dubois surrendered once he got knocked out. However, the Commander of the Order of the British Empire doesn’t think that is the case. “It’s easy to say or think what Dubois could have done in the moment, but ur not in his head knowing what his senses are,” he said, referring to the unpredictable nature of this sport.

Lewis recalled his own two losses against Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman, and both came out of nowhere. Especially the Rahman one, and even the Londoner thinks that. “I’ve been knocked down twice in my career, the second time, probably wasn’t even the hardest I’d ever been hit… but for some reason, it shook everything up. In that moment, u have 10 seconds to make sense of it all and recover,” he wrote, recalling that upset.

Lewis rebounded from that loss just months later. It’s fair to argue that if ‘The Lion’ had gotten up during their first fight, he likely would have won. However, “Sometimes u can, sometimes u can’t. 🤷🏾 It’s just part of the sport… but also why it makes it so exciting. 👊🏾💥,” Lewis concluded. The boxing legend is confident that Daniel Dubois has a bright future ahead. And given that Brit is only 27 years old, he is just getting started. He just needs to keep his head down and bounce back stronger. Fortunately, that’s precisely what ‘DDD’ plans to do.

Daniel Dubois will move ahead

Right after the brutal defeat, DAZN Sports’ Ade Oladipo caught Dynamite for an in-ring interview. Reflecting on his performance, the 27-year-old stated, “I gave everything I had.” It is great to see that despite the loss, Dubois took pride in his performance.

He showered Oleksandr Usyk with well-earned praise but refuses to let this setback define his legacy. “I take no credit away from the man. But I’ll be back,” he declared, with determination in his voice. Just a few hours later, the former IBF champion doubled down on his declaration. He took to his Instagram, posting a picture of himself from the fight night.

And while the loss stung, he didn’t forget to appreciate everyone who stood beside him. “In the caption, while he expressed sadness over the loss, he didn’t forget to appreciate everyone who were beside him,” he wrote, before once again clarifying what he needed to do. “Back to work. I’ll rise again,” he announced, and in just a few words, he shut down all the doubts regarding his future.

There were no excuses. Just a promise that he will be back. And with the whole UK grown fond of the Greenwich brawler, he will be better than ever. What do you think went wrong with Daniel Dubois against Oleksandr Usyk?