Usyk’s pursuit of a second undisputed reign depends on Dubois rematch
Oleksandr Usyk faces a critical path to reclaiming his undisputed status through a Wembley rematch against Daniel Dubois. While Usyk holds the WBC, WBA, and WBO titles, Dubois currently controls the IBF and WBO belts following his victory over Fabio Wardley.
Dubois seeks Wembley revenge
Usyk’s pursuit of a second undisputed reign depends on his ability to reclaim the IBF belt from Daniel Dubois. The Ukrainian champion holds the WBC, WBA, and WBO titles, while Dubois possesses the IBF belt. The July 19 rematch at Wembley Stadium aims to settle the dispute from their August 2023 meeting in Wroclaw, Poland. Usyk won that previous fight by a ninth-round stoppage. The referee ruled the fifth-round body shot against Usyk to be low, which provided the Ukrainian champion with necessary time to recover before he eventually stopped Dubois in the ninth round of their initial encounter in Poland. Dubois claims the referee’s decision denied him a victory. He insists he is a more dangerous fighter now. Usyk has 25 professional victories and has defeated Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury. The 39-year-old Ukrainian was previously an Olympic, world, and European champion in his amateur career. Dubois, who has a record of 22 wins and 2 losses with 21 knockouts, seeks revenge for the controversial loss. Queensberry Promotions promotes this event at the national stadium.
Shifting sanctioning body requirements
The WBC completed its 62nd annual convention in Hamburg, Germany, where representatives from more than 100 countries attended. Mauricio Sulaiman won his third four-year term as president alongside a 36-person board of governors. The organization also introduced a mandatory retirement savings plan for all fighters seeking a WBC title in 2026 to ensure fighters plan for their financial future. Turki Alalshikh received the WBC man of the year award during the event.
| Belt | Holder | Mandatory Challenger |
|---|---|---|
| WBO | Fabio Wardley | Joseph Parker |
| IBF | Daniel Dubois | Dereck Chisora |
| WBC | Oleksandr Usyk | Tyson Fury |
Dubois won the WBO title in May 2026 by defeating Fabio Wardley. He stopped Wardley in the eleventh round at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester. Wardley, who has 20 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw with 19 knockouts, previously held the WBO belt after Usyk vacated it. Dubois overcame two early knockdowns during that contest to win. You should recognize that Dubois now holds both the IBF and WBO titles. This status places him in a position to control the heavyweight division.
Heavyweight belt movements
Usyk must manage a schedule that includes a rematch with Tyson Fury. He has a contract for that bout on December 21 in Riyadh. This rematch clause forced the IBF to strip Usyk of his belt to accommodate mandatory defenses. The IBF stripped Tyson Fury of his title in 2015 when he did not face a mandatory challenger. If Usyk wins the Wembley fight, the WBO will order a defense against Joseph Parker. Dubois remains the IBF champion following his promotion from interim status. He previously defeated Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua to secure his position. Does Usyk have the physical capacity to handle three title fights before the year ends? Dubois previously defeated Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua to secure his position.
