![](\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/oleksandr-usyk-daniel-dubois.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Daniel Dubois says he feels \u2018cheated\u2019 after losing to Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday night with Frank Warren confirming he will appeal a controversial low blow ruling \u2013 though the Ukrainian\u2019s team are adamant the right decision was made.<\/p>\n
The 25-year-old Brit stunned the crowd at the Tarczynski Arena in Poland when he landed a thunderous punch to the stomach of the heavyweight champion in the fifth round.<\/p>\n
Usyk hit the deck and was left wincing in pain, though the referee immediately ruled the shot \u2013 which landed on the belt line \u2013 as a low blow, with the 36-year-old given the full five minutes to recover.<\/p>\n
When he got back up, the reigning champ quickly reasserted his control with a flurry of combinations and dropped Dubois twice before the fight was stopped in the ninth round \u2013 though that was only the beginning of the drama.<\/p>\n
In the ring afterwards, a clearly devastated Dubois told TNT Sports: \u2018I didn\u2019t think that was a low blow, I thought it landed and that I\u2019ve been cheated out of victory. I\u2019ve been cheated out of it tonight.\u2019<\/p>\n
Dubois\u2019 promoter, Frank Warren, was adamant the punch was legal and says he will now lodge an appeal with the WBA and expects to receive a rematch.<\/p>\n
He told reporters: \u2018That punch was on the waistband. You see fighters come in sometimes wearing high shorts or their cup or bodyguard is high on them, so at the rules meeting they determine where is your waist and it\u2019s the mid-point between your hips. He got hit on the waistband. Under those circumstances, the WBA have no alternative than to order a rematch.\u2019<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/metro-parent\/img\/fallback.png\")
<\/p>\n
Asked if he would like to speak to the WBA about a rematch, he replied: \u2018We\u2019d not just like to speak to them, they\u2019re gonna get their door kicked in!<\/p>\n
\u2018We\u2019re gonna be there and say, \u201cLook at that, this is the rules meeting, we want a rematch!\u201d Otherwise there\u2019s going to be a problem, because I\u2019m not going to stand for that. I\u2019ve got to do the best for my fighter and protect my fighter\u2019s interests and he won that fight.\u2019<\/p>\n
He added: \u2018No cry-baby stuff. All we want is a fair shake, and we didn\u2019t get it. What\u2019s going to happen is what I said, and I\u2019m very confident that once all the evidence is reviewed, they\u2019ll either declare it a no-contest or order an immediate rematch.\u2019<\/p>\n
But Usyk and his team were absolutely adamant there was no case to answer, with promoter Alexander Krassyuk holding up a picture on his phone at the post-fight press conference which suggested Dubois\u2019 punch had been on the low side.<\/p>\n
\u2018Let me show you a picture of what kind of illegal blow it was. Do we have a definition of legal or illegal? Russ [Abner \u2013 Usyk\u2019s cutman] what is the definition of legal or illegal?\u2019<\/p>\n
Abner replied: \u2018The belly button is the line. Anything below that is a low blow. If you\u2019re hitting the pants, it\u2019s not a legal blow.\u2019<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Usyk\u2019s team also contested Warren\u2019s claim that the rules meeting had established what constituted a low blow, with the fighter himself even lifting up his shirt at one point to show where his belly button lay in relation to his waistband.<\/p>\n
Krassyuk continued: \u2018Normally, at the rules meeting it is discussed that if someone hits a fighter on purpose below the belt he has to be punished for two points. If he does it again, he can be punished again or disqualified upon the discretion of the referee.\u2019<\/p>\n
Usyk\u2019s manager, Egis Klimas, added: \u2018Let me clear this up a little bit guys, at the rules meeting we don\u2019t talk about the low blows. The low blow is discussed when the referee and inspectors come in to the locker room and give the rules.<\/p>\n
\u2018Always they come in and say, \u201cWatch your low blows, everything from the belly button up is okay, everything below the belly button is no good. Make sure where you keep your trunkline so everything is on top of the trunkline.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018If a punch lands and hits skin and trunk, that\u2019s okay \u2013 or at least it can be, some referees may say not okay. But you can see Dubois\u2019 hand lies right on the belt and when you do an uppercut \u2013 like happened with this \u2013 and the glove landed completely under the trunkline, then it is a low blow.\u2019<\/p>\n