Usyk Plays Mind Games With Dubois At Weigh-in

Oleksandr Usyk v Daniel Dubois 2

Venue: Wembley Stadium, London Date: Saturday, 19 July

Coverage: Listen connected BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds, travel unrecorded matter commentary from 20:00 BST connected Saturday, 19 July connected BBC Sport website and app.

Oleksandr Usyk attempted to get successful Daniel Dubois' caput 1 last clip by stepping up of nan Briton and opinionated astatine nan beforehand of nan shape during nan weigh-in astatine BoxPark Wembley.

Dubois tipped nan scales astatine 17st 6lb pinch Usyk coming successful astatine a career-heavy 16st 3lb for their undisputed heavyweight title connected Saturday.

After a tense face-off nan brace turned to nan crowd but Usyk walked guardant and flexed his muscles to artifact his rival from position earlier Dubois followed him.

"I'm locked in, focused and I can't wait," Dubois said.

"I'm going to triumph by immoderate intends necessary."

But Dubois, 27, was trim short erstwhile Usyk moved to nan beforehand of nan shape again - raising his arms to tie a immense cheer.

Dubois, who has 22 wins successful 24 fights arsenic a professional, looked perturbed that his rival had stolen nan limelight and walked disconnected shaking his head.

It was nan last clip WBA (Super), WBO and WBC champion Usyk and IBF title-holder Dubois will travel face-to-face earlier gathering successful a rematch astatine Wembley Stadium connected Saturday.

Usyk, 38, is undefeated successful 23 master contests and claimed a ninth-round stoppage erstwhile they fought successful August 2023.

"It's a awesome opportunity for my group and my country. See you tomorrow," was each Usyk had to say.

Usyk was undisputed astatine cruiserweight and moved up a section successful 2019. He has grown into his heavyweight framework complete nan past six years and is 1 lb heavier than erstwhile he hit Tyson Fury successful December.

He is eight pounds heavier than erstwhile he stopped Dubois successful Poland 23 months ago.

Londoner Dubois erstwhile again had to judge being nan B-side connected location turf pinch astir of nan 400 aliases truthful group astatine BoxPark showing support for Usyk.

Several Ukrainian flags were hanging from nan pavilion and it was clear who they had travel to see, though that support mightiness not trim done arsenic overmuch erstwhile astir 90,000 battalion into Wembley Stadium.

Fellow heavyweights Joseph Parker and Dave Allen were among those watching on, while Britain's past undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis was besides successful attendance.

Lewis, who held each 3 world titles successful 1999, has urged Dubois to "rise to nan occasion" and offered up proposal connected really to woody pinch nan undefeated Usyk.

"Dubois needs to get that jab going, push him against nan ropes and commencement combinations - don't discarded punches and enactment eager," Lewis told BBC Sport.

"Remember he is nan existent heavyweight and needs to property him."

Dubois trimmed down to 16st 9lb erstwhile he mislaid against Usyk but has since recovered awesome occurrence aft bulking up to hit Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua.

Dubois is bidding to go nan first Briton to reign undisputed successful nan four-belt era.