Oleksandr Usyk knocks out Daniel Dubois in five rounds to reclaim undisputed heavyweight crown at Wembley

Under the lights of Wembley Stadium, in front of 90,000 stunned fans, Oleksandr Usyk delivered a thunderous knockout blow that crushed Daniel Dubois and reclaimed his status as the undisputed world heavyweight champion for the second time.

The 38-year-old Ukrainian, already hailed for his dominance at cruiserweight, retained his WBA, WBC, and WBO belts and reclaimed the IBF title with a fifth-round stoppage that silenced Dubois’ pre-fight bravado. A lightning-quick left hook to the jaw sent the 27-year-old Londoner sprawling, unable to beat the count.

Dubois had talked confidently all week, calling Usyk “the obstacle in my way,” determined to become the first British heavyweight to hold every major belt since Lennox Lewis. But Usyk, calm and clinical, dismantled him with a brutal blend of timing, footwork, and sheer punching power.

The fight’s decisive moment came midway through the fifth round. After Dubois missed with a looping right hand, Usyk capitalised, launching a lunging left hook that sent Dubois crashing to the canvas. The crowd rose in shock as the referee counted him out. It was Usyk’s second knockdown of the round, a savage punctuation mark to what had already been a dominant performance.

Usyk’s victory not only preserved his undefeated record but also exorcised the ghosts of their first meeting in Poland in 2023—a bout marred by controversy over a borderline low blow that left Usyk briefly floored. That time, Usyk recovered, dropped Dubois in the eighth, and finished him in the ninth.

This time, there was no debate. No fouls. No mercy.

“Now I want to go back home,” Usyk told reporters in the post-fight press conference. “I’ve not seen my wife, my family, my children. For three and a half months, I lived and trained with my team—14 guys in one house. I will continue boxing, but I don’t know who is next.”

He hinted at future clashes with Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, or Joseph Parker—names that echo through boxing’s elite. But asked if he considers himself one of the sport’s all-time greats, Usyk shook his head. “No. I don’t have motivation—I have discipline. Motivation is temporary.”

Dubois, humbled and bruised, still showed sportsmanship in defeat. “I gave everything I had. Take no credit away from that man,” he told DAZN. “I’ll be back.”

Though still young, Dubois joins fellow Brits Fury and Joshua on the list of fighters Usyk has bested, reinforcing the Ukrainian’s reputation as a generational talent. His composure in the ring, razor-sharp reflexes, and tactical genius once again proved too much for the heavyweight division’s power punchers.

In the run-up to Saturday night, Dubois had claimed that Usyk’s popularity wouldn’t matter. “Focus just on the ring,” Usyk had responded. “It will be a great win.” He was right.

With this second undisputed crown, Usyk becomes the only heavyweight in modern history to win every major belt twice. His place in boxing’s lore is secured—not just by titles, but by nights like this.

And for those who doubted him after Poland, Usyk answered in the most violent way possible.