Oleksandr Usyk needed just five rounds at Wembley to double down on his 2023 stoppage of Daniel Dubois, and former cruiserweight king Johnny Nelson believes the real damage was done long before the opening bell.
Now a ringside analyst, Nelson told that Dubois’ best chance came in their first encounter, when ignorance of Usyk’s traps let the younger man “roll the dice.” In Saturday’s rematch, he says, those memories became shackles. “You start to second-guess,” Nelson explained. “I won’t throw that shot - last time he caught me. You get triggered.”
Watch Usyk vs. Dubois 2 highlights: Watch
Usyk, 38, exploited that hesitation with surgical jabs “straight through the middle,” systematically dismantling Dubois and finishing “every argument” before it started. Nelson praised the Ukrainian’s blend of experience and ring IQ: “Once you box Usyk once, he’s got your number. He’s far too smart and clever.”
Dubois had promised “chaos,” but Nelson believes post-traumatic echoes from Poland turned that vow into paralysis. “Instinctively he remembers the traps and tricks,” Nelson said. “That blessing of ignorance is what you need in the second fight - but once you know, you’re scarred.”
For Nelson, the lesson is clear: against a master like Usyk, raw power means little when the opponent keeps rewriting the blueprint.
Image Credit: Queensberry Promotions