Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois LIVE: Ukrainian puts his world heavyweight title belts on the line against his British challenger

Follow the action with Mail Sport’s live blog as Oleksandr Usyk faces Daniel Dubois in the heavyweight title fight at the Tarczynski Arena in Wroclaw.

Host commentator

Oleksandr Usyk achieved his remarkable body transformation with unique cardio sessions, eating SEVEN-POUND bowls of Ukrainian dishes and training so hard he fainted

Usyk will be making his fifth bout in the heavyweight division, having made his name – and earned his first world title – at cruiserweight. 

As such, the Ukrainian had to undergo a sizeable transformation when he made the transition in 2019 ahead of his heavyweight debut against Chazz Witherspoon.

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Paul also TNT Sports that he is happy to see ex-UFC fighter Francis Ngannou have a crossover fight with Tyson Fury

‘I am excited for Francis to get this opportunity’ Paul said.

‘He is finally getting the pay he deserves.

‘I fought all of these fighters and none of them have troubled me.

‘Tyson will provide the smoke but Francis has the one punch knock-out power.’

Jake Paul is present, because of course he is.

The Problem Child says he linked up with Usyk earlier this week and saw him just before tonight’s main event.

‘I wanted to come out here to support him. I saw him just now before the fight. He seems very focused,’ Paul says.

‘I am part Polish so it is nice to see my home land.’

Paul has backed Usyk to win by a ninth round stoppage.

‘That was my first fight ever, not just my pro debut, it was a blessing to be here tonight,’ Hamed says in the ring.

‘What a night, I felt like I put on a performance.

‘This is just a stepping stone to where I want to get to.

‘I am passionate about this game, I am not here to take part, I am here to take over.’

Hrdy has one win and two defeats so far in his career.

Hamed unsurprisingly is on the front foot and pins Hrdy into the corner.

A flurry of punches and it is a first round stoppage, as Hrdy’s coach throws in the towel.

Extremely straightfoward for the debutant.

‘The son of a legend is coming’

No pressure then. Britain’s Aadam Hamed, the son of former world champion Prince Naseem Hamed is being introduced to the arena ahead of his professional debut.

The 23-year-old is heading out to face Vojtech Hrdy, with the Czech fighter already in the ring.

Hamed is strutting out during his ring walk, with his dad present in the crowd.

PICTURE EXCLUSIVE: Daniel Dubois and Oleksandr Usyk, pictured by Mail Sport’s KEVIN QUIGLEY ahead of heavyweight clash tonight

Mail Sport’s KEVIN QUIGLEY got to shoot Daniel Dubois and Oleksandr Usyk this week in an exclusive photoshoot…

Take a look at the best of the snaps here ahead of the encounter.

Pictures of both Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois in their respective dressing rooms as the build-up continues to tonight’s main event.

Derek Chisora has given a blunt assessment of the task facing Dubois with the Briton likely to face an intimidating atmosphere this evening.

‘He is about to get an absolute nightmare,’ Chisora tells TNT Sports.

‘They are all coming out now.

‘He will have to compose himself and have that I don’t care face

‘If you want to be a champion, you have to go to the champion’s yard and win.

‘Daniel has to come and not give a care and just go for it.

‘If he messes around, it will be a tough night for him.’

The scorecards are in and it is a unanimous decision in favour of Denys Berinchyk, with the Ukrainian extending his unbeaten record to 18-0.

The judges score the fight 117-111, 115-113, 116-112 in Berinchyk’s favour.

Delight for the Ukrainian fans in their adopted home crowd.

Both Denys Berinchyk and Anthony Yigit raised their arms in celebration at the end of round 12.

A brutal final round between the pair there.

Dubois has it all to do if he is to spring the ring upset of the decade

JEFF POWELL: Tom Cruise could supply a working title for Daniel Dubois as he makes his bid from nowhere to wrest a cluster of world heavyweight titles from Oleksandr Usyk: Mission Improbable.

Leonardo DiCaprio might lend the title of one of his most entertaining movies for Oleksandr The Great to send a warning message to his precocious London challenger: Catch Me If You Can.

Therein lies the essence of tonight’s encounter in a Polish football stadium which will be packed with 40,000 of Usyk’s brother Ukrainians imploring him to deliver another boxing masterclass on this, their embattled country’s Independence weekend.

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Age: 25

Stance: Orthodox

Height: 6ft 5in 

Reach: 78″ 

Record: 19-1

Age: 36

Stance: Southpaw

Height: 6ft 3in 

Reach: 78″

Record: 20-0

Ukraine’s Denys Berinchyk is currently in the ring facing Swedish fighter Anthony Yigit with the WBO International lightweight title on the line.

Berinchyk is seeking to defend his belt and 17-0 record.

Britain’s Aadam Hamed, the son of former world champion Prince Naseem Hamed, will make his professional debut after this.

He will face Vojtech Hrdy.

Then it will be time for the main event.

‘I saw people with no arms or legs. Everything, everywhere, DEAD’: An incredible interview with Ukrainian world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk

Allow me to point you in the direction of Jeff Powell’s interview with Oleksandr Uysk.

The Ukrainian opens up about the impact of the ongoing war back home, with thousands having also made the trip to watch the national hero tonight.

Today is Ukraine’s National Independence Day.

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On a humid night of cloying humidity and crawling traffic tens of thousands of Ukrainians waked most of the five miles  from the centre of their adopted Polish city to the stadium

They came to give Dubois as hot and hostile reception as they could muster. Also of course to roar on Usyk their beloved war hero and world champion to another patriotic victory. 

Dubois looked serious and subdued as he walked the corridors to his dressing room, Usyk his amused

Dubois was aware that almost all predictions favoured the undefeated holder of three of the major heavyweight belts. 

But again pronouncing himself ready to silence this lion’s den by  by upsetting the two time conqueror of Anthony Joshua

Apart from his team, his family and his friends he was pretty much on his own here. 

‘No problem,’ he said. ‘I will be in tunnel vision, shutting out the noise.’

But it not easy to be unaffected by a first exposure to such an overwhelming atmosphere.

Hello and welcome to Mail Sport’s live blog as Oleksandr Usyk faces Daniel Dubois in the heavyweight title fight in Wroclaw.

We will have all the build-up and blow by blow action from Poland.

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