Dynamite Dubois Explodes

The biggest British heavyweight clash since the Frank Bruno v Lennox Lewis box fest in 1993 entered into the ring, AJ Anthony Joshua v The Dynamite Daniel Dubois with the IBF belt on the line. Pre-fight Joshua was right on the ticket, but come ring time AJs demeanour had changed into a statuesque figure, frozen staring into the abyss, across the ring Dynamite Dan was ready to rumble, to explore and so it proved.

The ding dong chimes ushered the two giants to begin their work, but Joshua seemed to have left his work in the gym, with the warrior treble ‘D’ exploring into AJ with right and left combinations, before a hair could be split, a clipping of AJ late into the round leading to the canvas flapping with the sheer body mass of Joshua crashing into the canvas, fallen, the referee stepped in for the count as Joshua rose from the embers, the legs became of jelly, from muscle bound to being devoid of strength, the bell tolled to be saved for now. AJ survived round two and into round three with Joshua’s renowned lack of knock down recovery from round one continued with the jelly wobbles still evident. The treble bombardment showed no signs of abating with the bombs scatter gunned Joshua’s way, and again late in the round the Dubois left and right combinations empowered into AJs distorted face as the blows landed, the customary AJ stumble ensued with the scrambling of the senses becoming egg fried, the AJ right foot became distorted and twisted with a crashing onto the ropes offering momentarily support with the resulting pounding to the canvas, the blows were becoming more brutal with the bell again saving Joshua.

Into round four and on 2 minutes 45 seconds a Dubois left hook sent AJ to the canvas and at the count of eight. Leading into round 5 instructions were headed in AJ’s corner, it’s time to roll the dice, this is what we live for, shit or bust, was there any other alternative? AJ came out of his corner fast with intent to finish the fight once and for all, glory or glorious defeat to ride out on one’s shield, AJ throwing punches with all his might, Dubois was cornered into the dark zone, fear, trepidation, the unknown, the feeling of all consuming power with the AJ power punches encircling Dubois, left, right punches and again seeking the killer blow, Dubois rolling onto the ropes positioning oneself to unleash the final trade off, in it came down the AJ pipe, DD’s right hand landed onto the AJ chin to halt the Joshua juggernaut, a reverberating crash to the canvas, AJ poleaxed, beaten, defeated cradling the ring like a baby, it was sad to see but exhilarating, shot to bits, snipered, from dare devil to dominance to destruction, Britain’s new boxing god and still the IBF World Heavyweight Champion of the World, Daniel Dubois, lets get ready to rumble.

Reignited, Usyk = Fury

The setting, the Guildhall London, listed as an art museum and public library, a strange location for the Oleksandr Usyk v Tyson Fury press conference ‘Reignited’ to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on 21^st December for the re-match. The huge grandeur of the Guildhall seemed to have religious overtones with gold plated artistic statues shrouding the huge setting with their shadows casting over the boxing cast seated on the two huge tables on a large platform for the event, team Usyk on one side and team Fury on the second huge mahogany table, praise the Lord would be George Foreman’s blessing, the former heavyweight champion of the world, blessed to be a preacher.

Team Fury as the challenger throned onto the large mahogany, Fury dressed in a black and white patterned suit with the customary baseball hat, looked short of being dapper as they awaited the arrival of Oleksandr Usyk the WBC, WBA and WBO belt holder, Usyk lays claim to being the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, despite having to vacate the IBF belt to Daniel Dubois. Silence bestowed to be overshadowed by faint music in the background with Oleksandr Usyk and his entourage entering into the Guildhall. The Usyk team came within photo range to be awoke with gasps of to be in awe. Usyk shaven headed wearing an all black suit, with a red tie and matching black leather gloves, carrying a black suitcase, zoned in as the ‘hitman’ agent 47, it was minutes before the revered Usyk and team became seared at the top table, the champion’s table.

Tyson Fury and team on the adjacent table with fury looking decidedly uncomfortable, disturbed by Usyk’s appearance, of the opinion that Usyk’s living inside Fury’s head and the granite shackles of the Ukrainian cannot be broken, ‘Nepmora’, victory. Fury trying to hide his inner turmoil became fidgeting, lensed Manero, the fury body language, a scratching of his legs, those creepy crawlers followed with a scratching of ones ear, it was no mosquito, but the green disturbance plotted inside Fury’s head. Usyk seated grasping, scratching movements on the mahogany table, those black ironed gloves, “What’s in the suitcase Oleksandr?”. The reply came with a crisp smile “I don’t remember”. Usyk opened the suitcase to reveal two large photo shots of Usyk landing punches as Fury’s face became distorted, Fury made reference to having a resemblance to Shrek the green ogre, the irony of that being we can connect to shrieks of pain as the Usyk punches landed, or from Usyk’s corner shrieks of laughter, it’s a cruel sport boxing, business to attend to the Usyk way. A question came the Ukrainian man’s way “What did you learn about Tyson Fury during the first fight?”. Usyk replied “Many things.” Further pushed to explain more, the second Usyk reply came “I don’t remember”. Nothing seeps through the Ukrainian. Fury made a big mistake referring to Usyk as a rabbit, you do not enter into that territory, nothing can faze Usyk, nothing, even into the rabbits headlights, the Usyk daggered eyes pierces those lights, smash. Usyk called out Fury as greedy belly. The pig slayer v the rabbit, fast feet Usyk grinds the grinder, ups the gears, boy that rabbit can move, lightening quick around the ring craft, those incessant points winning punches, Usyk to prevail again on 21^st December? Has to be the case, doesn’t it?

Team Usyk

Usyk’s manager Egis Klimas of the bland variety, has a tendency to try and wriggle out of any pre-flight derisory comments directed at the opponent. The team’s promotor is Alex Krassyuk, who could be a PR stuntman, but perhaps too ridged for those stunts. Krassyuk has the look of having played a part in Coronation Street as a dodgy salesman with the smiling whiskers and daggers concealed, ready to jingle, oh for those Christmas tidings, but they do not celebrate the glad tidings down in Saudi. Usyk’s trainer Anatoly Lomachenko looks to be shy of a few sunrays, perhaps the Usyk training camp in Gandia Valencia will provide that tanned effect of note. So how does Anatoly do it? The training of course, that’s for Usyk to know, it’s in the suitcase, the Usyk team is a formidable unit.

Team Fury

Tyson Fury’s manager, Spencer Brown, is a disco music artist. So how did he land the Fury role? One role he could land is as Ray Winston’s doppelganger in the film Sexy Beast. One to share the same cage is promotor Frank Warren, who always spins out the same hairy pair, follow those balls, a great fight ahead an all that, Frank seems to have lost his ironing lady, has not been looking his pristine self. Up at SugarHill Mountain, Fury’s trainer SugarHill Steward hit the bland notes, to learn and to improve, how? No response from SugarHill as he lumped the microphone away from oneself, a man of few words unless he is given a window of opportunity to speak of his historical value to the sport, wake me up before you go go. There are many names attached to both camps, the main cast are the Manero as written, highlighted.

Usyk, Fury 1

On the 18^th May 2024, Usyk and Fury palmed the gloves for the first time at Wembley Stadium, the Usyk win on a split decision was universally accepted as the correct decision by boxing experts and the like. The normally claused rematch clauses activated, Usyk v fury heading for a second showdown in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on the 21^st December 2024. The general consensus from the first encounter is that Fury won the first half of the fight Usyk renowned for being the prize fighter in the second half of fights, the dominant one, and so it proved. The boxing circus now moves onto the second version of the ‘Clash of the Titans’, titled ‘Reignited’ let’s get ready to rumble.