There comes a time when parents must decide whether to continue enforcing strict rules on their child or let them learn from their own mistakes. It seems that children are conditioned to break rules rather than follow them, always wanting to do things ahead of schedule. It doesn’t matter when parents tell them what they can and cannot do, whether it’s drinking, driving, smoking, or having sex, because they will find a time that suits them, which their parents will view as premature. This same trend can be seen in boxing, where the promoters act as parents. They must know when to hold a boxer back and when to let them learn the hard way. This is precisely what will happen to Daniel Dubois on Saturday (August 26) in Poland when he faces the formidable Oleksandr Usyk, even though Dubois is ill-equipped for it. When looking at the records and achievements of these two heavyweights, it’s hard to believe that they are considered equals in a world championship-level competition. Although Usyk is undoubtedly at that level and Dubois has the potential to reach it, they are currently far apart in terms of experience. However, in the heavyweight division, this disparity may not matter as much. Dubois has power, with 18 knockouts from 19 wins, and Usyk has limited experience as a heavyweight. Dubois, with a record of 19-1 (18), is not just a heavyweight; he has held the WBA “Regular” heavyweight title for the last 14 months. While this belt is not a genuine world title, it has elevated Dubois to a position where he is now challenging the real champion, Usyk. Dubois couldn’t refuse this opportunity to fight Usyk, especially considering the money involved. However, his lack of credentials and experience raises questions about whether he is truly ready to face the best heavyweights in the world. Dubois’ last fight against Kevin Lerena showed his courage, as he overcame a knee injury and three knockdowns in the first round to win by third-round stoppage. This fight, however, was closer to Commonwealth title level than world level. Before that, Dubois won his WBA “Regular” title against Trevor Bryan, which was an easy but meaningless fight. Dubois has learned less from these wins than from his previous fights against Joe Joyce and Nathan Gorman. Joyce defeated Dubois, and Gorman was later stopped by Fabio Wardley. Dubois’ progress and potential are difficult to assess without facing similar challenges and proving himself against them. Despite his young age of 25, Dubois has not yet accomplished this. It’s concerning that after taking a cautious approach to his rehabilitation post-Joyce, Dubois is now suddenly facing Usyk. This seems to go against everything he was trying to achieve and accelerates his progress when he was just starting to find his rhythm again. Usyk, on the other hand, will see Dubois’ premature arrival as an advantage. He has already defeated heavyweight types like Anthony Joshua and will view this fight as a step down in competition. However, it will be important for Usyk to guard against complacency and give Dubois the respect he deserves. Dubois’ power should not be underestimated, and Usyk knows that there are still big-money fights to be made in the heavyweight division. With a record of 20-0 (13), Usyk has almost been perfect in his career.
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