It appeared Dubois could have beat the count if he had wanted to. Seemed Dubois wanted out as Usyk's punch was glancing at best and not some monster shot. What say you?
He got up at 9. True he was hurt and tired, but maybe he would've survived the round or the fight (maybe not), which he was losing on points, after having it won via KO.
I know it is advisable to take a count rather than be stopped, but it's starting to look now like he has some kind of mental trigger where if things aren't going to plan, down he goes on one knee. That really puts him at a disadvantage unless he is planning on a fight never going to the cards win or lose. It needs to be addressed if he has any plans to become a legitimate challenger in the coming years.
He quit again. It's difficult to raise too big of a stink over whether the punch was on the beltline (which it was) or not, given that Dubois would've been one of the worst heavyweight champions ever if he'd actually won with that body shot. He just seems like an athlete who learned to box. He isn't a "fighter" ... there's a difference. The next guy who fought him would've won, anyway. Dubois was never going to beat Usyk on points. He needed to dig to the body and try to win by KO. As it was, at one point, he just sort of quit trying, looked for a spot on the floor and took a knee. When you think back to guys like Frank Bruno, who you practically had to knock his head off to get out of there, and then see Dubois just appear to go, "Well, I tried," and take a knee ... I just never thought much of fighters like that. They only go so far ... and the WBA "Regular" belt seems about the max. Bye Dubois. Enjoy your couple million dollars. Time for the next guy to step up.
I think the ref could have let him continue, looked like he beat the count. That said I'm not sure there was much point in doing so. The Joyce fight I can't blame him for quitting, he had a broken bone in his face. Of course there have been fighters who fought through that, but I think that's a special performance and not the standard that every boxer has to meet. He really didn't deserve a title shot, especially a unified title shot, but I suspect that the reason he was picked is because of money and willingness to fight in Poland. I don't know, I said after the Joyce fight that he should retire because he isn't built for HW boxing. He could be a gatekeeper between the British and European levels, but unfortunately the guys above him are inactive and pricing themselves out of fights so he's going to keep getting calls.
Dubois lost mentally, spiritually, physically. He is a weird individual. He talks about winning by any means necessary, giving it bis best, ready for war… but fights nothing like that. No urgency to get up from a knee always dragging it to the last count which is silly because you need to convince the referee you will continue. By all means take a knee and take a few seconds thats smart but his body language sucks. And then after its waved off no protest, no anger nothing. Just accepts defeat. He is not strong enough mentally to compete at high level. Usyk fights like his life is on the line, he steps up the gear when he needs to and goes toe to toe with the power puncher with zero fear. Keeps going and doesnt take a step back. But no urgency or tenacity or fire from Dubois in anything, just an emotionless robot so indifferent. His performance was crap. Chisora did so much better and there were zero belts on the line. Chisora went all in, everything he could do or throw. Dubois sucked