Oleksandr Usyk’s coach says Daniel Dubois is a “back-up option”

Oleksandr Usyk's assistant coach and team manager Sergey Lapin believes that a fight with WBA mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois is the only option if the Tyson Fury fight does not happen.

However, the WBA, WBO, and IBF Heavyweight Champion’s coach claims he doesn’t think the WBA’s order will stop the fight with Tyson Fury from happening.

He said in an interview with VegasInsider:

"I think that the WBA ordering Usyk to fight Daniel Dubois will not be a hindrance to the undisputed contest between Usyk and Tyson Fury, the fight we all want to see."

Furthermore, he elaborated on the undisputed fight with ‘The Gypsy King’ being the need of the hour right now in boxing, while touching upon Dubois being a back-up plan:

"All promoters involved are currently committed to finding out who the best is in the heavyweight division at the earliest opportunity. We hope nothing will get in the way of that fight happening, however, the option to fight Dubois will be a back-up plan in case that fight breaks down. But Daniel Dubois is not the fight that boxing fans would like to see in 2023."

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Oleksandr Usyk vs. Daniel Dubois

Daniel ‘Dynamite’ Dubois (19-1-0) is the No.9-ranked heavyweight in the world as per BoxRec. The 25-year-old British fighter has won four out of his last five fights, with his only loss coming via KO to fellow British heavyweight and No.6-ranked Joe Joyce.

Dubois' most recent fight was in December, on the undercard of Fury vs. Chisora 3, where he secured a TKO victory over Kevin Lerena in Round 3, after being dropped twice in the first. ‘Dynamite’ is 6'5" and weighs around 240 pounds, with a 90% KO rate due to 18 of his 19 wins being via stoppages.

Dubois drops Lerena in Round 3 - Tyson Fury vs. Derek Chisora 3

The WBA has ordered 'The Cat' to face Dubois after the Brit's win over Trevor Bryan made him the WBA World Heavyweight (Regular) title holder. The bout with Usyk will be to unify the championship as the Ukrainian holds the WBA World Heavyweight (Super) title.