Daniel Dubois’ camp to lobby for no contest after controversial low blow call

Daniel Dubois’ camp said they are lobbying for a no contest following a controversial low blow call in the British boxer’s loss to world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk in Wroclaw.

A ninth-round knockout ensured Usyk kept hold of his WBA, IBF and WBO belts with a 14th knockout win in 21 fights, much to the delight of the large contingent of his fellow Ukrainians who have resided in Poland since Russia’s invasion of their country last year.

However, promoter Frank Warren told reporters at the post-fight press conference that the contest was spoiled by the referee’s decision to allow Usyk to recover after he was buckled by a low blow from Dubois in the fifth.

The shot was deemed accidental, but Warren said his camp would be taking action seeking either a no contest or rematch.

He said: “The situation is that we will be lobbying the WBA to declare this as a no contest.

“The knockdown which the referee said was below the belt… the punch actually landed on the waistband of his shorts.

“The criteria, as is explained at the rules meeting, waist is the mid-point of your hips. So it’s much lower.

“That was a legitimate blow and (the fight) should’ve been stopped. He got three minutes and 46 seconds recovery time, which was wrong. He got it wrong the referee and I still don’t understand, if it was a low blow, why he didn’t take any points off him.

“I don’t think (the referee’s) crooked, I think he just got it totally wrong. As a result, it should be declared a no contest in the worst case, or a rematch ordered.”

Dubois did not attend the press conference, but earlier told talkSPORT: “It wasn’t to be my night. But that wasn’t a low blow, it was a body shot. I’m gutted.”

Dubois was the overwhelming underdog but he had tipped the