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- What: WBO, IBF and WBA heavyweight titles
- Who: Oleksandr Usyk vs. Daniel Dubois
- Date: Saturday, August 26, 2023
- Time: 2 p.m. ET
- Location: Tarczynski Arena in Wroclaw, Poland
- How to Watch: ESPN+
Following Oleksandr Usyk‘s win over Anthony Joshua in August 2022 and Tyson Fury‘s victory over Derek Chisora in December, there was hope that the two top heavyweight boxers in the world would face off for the undisputed heavyweight crown. That fight fell through earlier this year. With a bout opposite Fury, who holds the WBC heavyweight title, Usyk moved on. Usyk, the owner of the IBF, WBA, WBO, and The Ring heavyweight belts, instead puts his titles on the line against Daniel Dubois on Saturday, August 26, in Poland. Below, we look at the betting breakdown for the heavyweight title fight between Usyk and Dubois.
Oleksandr Usyk (20-0 with 13 knockouts), a 2012 Olympic gold medal winner for Ukraine, moved from cruiserweight to heavyweight in 2019. He is 4-0 since then, with decision wins over Chazz Witherspoon, Derek Chisora, and Anthony Joshua. He defeated Joshua in back-to-back contests in September 2021 and August 2022. The 36-year-old is the No. 3 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, according to The Ring. He trails Terence Crawford and Naoya Inoue, who are both coming off big wins in 2023.
Daniel Dubois (19-1 with 18 KOs) is not ranked according to The Ring. The 25-year-old British fighter is coming off four straight knockout wins, most recently downing Kevin Lerena in the third round in December. Dubois’ only pro setback was a November 2020 KO loss to Joe Joyce.
Before we look at the heavyweight title fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois check out the best boxing betting sites and where you can find the best boxing picks.
Oleksandr Usyk vs. Daniel Dubois betting picks
| Fighters |  |  |  |  |  |
| Oleksandr Usyk | -1250 | -1100 | -1250 | -1250 | -1111 |
| Daniel Dubois | +700 | +600 | +700 | +850 | +520 |
Oleksandr Usyk vs. Daniel Dubois betting breakdown
The heavyweight champ, Oleksandr Usyk is different from the monster heavyweight boxer fans have become accustomed to over the past few years. And that’s fine because what the six-foot-three fighter lacks in size, he makes up for in technical skill, speed, and fight IQ. Say what you will about Usyk, but there’s a reason the 33-0-1 Tyson Fury is reluctant to face him.
Usyk is light on his feet, has excellent lateral movement, and is not afraid to be aggressive, even against fighters larger than him who might pack more power in their punches. The champion has every skill advantage imaginable in this matchup. The only thing not on his side is age, and even that won’t give Dubois much of a chance considering how skilled and fit Usyk is. The only chance Dubois has in this matchup is if Usyk suddenly got old and slow since his win over Joshua in August 2022 or if he doesn’t take this fight seriously, which I doubt will be the case because a win will set Usyk up for a big payday in his next outing.
At best, Daniel Dubois, who has never faced an opponent as good as Usyk before, has a puncher’s chance, as indicated by his 18 knockout wins. However, let’s not forget what Usyk did to Anthony Joshua, a noted knockout artist in their two fights. Further, Joshua, who is the No. 3 rated heavyweight according to The Ring.
Betting value with Oleksandr Usyk
Oleksandr Usyk is the obvious betting pick in this fight. The question one has to deal with when looking at potential wagers is if there is value in picking Usyk as a straight winner or if it’s worth investigating prop bets on the outcome of the heavyweight title fight. With that, there is betting value in picking how long this bout will last and how Usyk will win.
What’s at stake
With Tyson Fury scheduled to face former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in October in Saudi Arabia, there is still a chance of the Usyk vs. Fury fight happening. Of course, for that to occur, both men have to win their upcoming battles. Even if that fight doesn’t get booked, expect it to be the talk of the boxing world for quite a while. Again, that is, if Usyk and Fury both win. If one or both lose, expect the talk to be about where their upset defeats rank in boxing history.
Best Bets for Oleksandr Usyk vs. Daniel Dubois
As mentioned above, Usyk to win is the safe betting pick. With that out of the way, let’s look at how and when the fight will end. With Usyk’s style and approach, I don’t think he will get an early knockout, so the first betting pick is for the fight to go past the halfway mark. As for how it will end, expect Usyk to rack up damage throughout the contest and to eventually score a knockout win sometime after the sixth round.
As for those willing to take a flyer on Dubois, his best bet is to win via knockout, and there will be plenty of betting value in that wager, but remember, that’s an enormously risky proposition.
Best bet for Oleksandr Usyk vs. Daniel Dubois: Pick Usyk to beat Dubois via knockout.
See below the best sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
