Dubois' bid to have Usyk defeat overturned rejected

 

Oleksandr Usyk defeated Daniel Dubois of Britain in nine rounds to retain his unified heavyweight titles. Dubois' team protested the WBA's decision after Usyk was struck in the fifth round, but it was denied.

The WBA denied Daniel Dubois' request to have his loss to Oleksandr Usyk altered to a no-contest because of a disputed low-blow call.

Usyk successfully defended his WBA, IBF, and WBO heavyweight titles in August, but the fight's outcome was overshadowed by the moment when he was wobbly and dropped to the ground.

Usyk was given nearly four minutes to recover before dominating the rest of the bout. Referee Luis Pabon promptly determined that Dubois' vicious right hook in the fifth round was below the waist.

Dubois and his team were furious with Pabon's judgment, and last month, promoter Frank Warren filed a formal appeal while pleading with the WBA to reverse the verdict and request a quick rematch.

When the WBA announced it was upholding the initial result, it became clear that its

regulations required that the referee have the last say in these circumstances. However, an impartial panel upheld Pabon's ruling.

A statement on the WBA's website said: "After studying all the documents, the conclusions of all the instances and the internal rules of the WBA, it was determined that the appeal does not proceed and the decision of the fight stands with the victory and defence of the champion Usyk.

"The supervisors of the fight were Carlos Ortiz (IBF), Ed Levine (IBO), Thomas Puetz (WBO) and Jesper Jensen (WBA). The supervisor of the pioneer body, Jensen, determined that referee Luis Pabon made the correct decision regarding the punch which he considered an accidental low blow.

"With the supervisor's opinion, the WBA decided to send the case to the International Officials Committee, who on September 11, issued their review and found that there was no clear and conclusive evidence that the original decision made by Pabon on Dubois' punch to Usyk was wrong.

"They also concluded that no TV clip had evidence that the decision was incorrect. In addition, they asserted that "the original decision of the low blow must stand, as there is no indispensable evidence to prove otherwise".

"On the other hand, the WBA rules determine that the decision of a low blow and whether a boxer who receives it can continue are strict competences of the referee and he is the only one authorised to make these decisions."

Usyk, who knocked Dubois down twice as he extended his perfect professional record to 21 wins from as many fights, is set for a much-anticipated showdown against WBC champion Tyson Fury next.

A deal for a fight that would have all four major world titles on the line was agreed last month although the date of the contest which will go ahead in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was not announced.