THERE is no doubt in Frank Warren’s mind that Daniel Dubois, should he defeat Oleksandr Usyk, would be a leading contender for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award (SPOTY).
The two heavyweights will lock horns in an undisputed showdown on July 19, with their eagerly anticipated rematch, promoted by Warren, taking centre stage at Wembley Stadium, London.
A somewhat controversial encounter back in 2023 saw Usyk, 23-0 (14 KOs), the bona fide king of his division, retain his titles with a comprehensive ninth-round stoppage victory.
But before the Ukrainian’s emphatic finish arrived, Dubois, 22-2 (21 KOs), had floored his rival with a shot that the referee ultimately ruled a low blow.
The 27-year-old, however, still claims that the punch he landed in the fifth round was a legal body shot, insisting that the odds, on that particular night in Poland, were heavily stacked against him.
In any case, the contentious discussion point has only made for a prickly build-up, not least regarding a series of accusations that have been directed at Team Usyk.
Regardless of the back-and-forths, though, Queensberry Promotions boss Warren remains fiercely confident that his man, IBF world champion Dubois, will do the business come fight night.
Not only that, but the veteran promoter firmly believes that ‘Dynamite’ could follow in the footsteps of Joe Calzaghe, Lennox Lewis, Barry McGuigan and Henry Cooper, with all of whom having collected the prestigious SPOTY in previous years.
Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, meanwhile, are among a selection of British boxers who, despite getting nominated, have narrowly missed out on securing the prize.
Either way, one can only suspect that Dubois – should he claim a victory of such magnitude against Usyk – would indeed be poised to extend his collection of accolades.
“If [Dubois beats Usyk], he’ll be the first [British heavyweight] to ever hold the four belts, and will go down in history,” Warren told Boxing News.
“You want to talk about BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award? [Dubois is] a shoo-in.
“No one has ever done what he’s doing – or what he’s attempting to do, I should say. No one in this country, at heavyweight.”
