Oleksandr Usyk has openly criticized Daniel Dubois for what he perceives as a display of mental weakness during their recent face-off. The incident occurred as both fighters promoted their upcoming rematch for the undisputed world heavyweight championship, set to take place at London's Wembley Stadium on 19 July 2025.

Dubois, the current IBF champion, pushed Usyk in the chest during a photo session on the Wembley pitch, prompting security to intervene. Usyk, who holds the WBA (Super), WBO, and WBC belts, responded by turning away and laughing off the incident.

When questioned about Dubois' improvement since their last encounter in August 2023, where Usyk secured a victory via a ninth-round stoppage, Usyk acknowledged Dubois' physical advancements but remained skeptical about his mental fortitude. "Mentally no, push is a weakness," Usyk stated.

Dubois defended his actions, claiming it was a manifestation of his new approach to the sport. "It's a new me, the fear of acting in a particular way is not there anymore. Now I need to just do what I need to do, this is the fight game, this is boxing," he explained.

The previous fight between the two was marred by controversy when Usyk was floored in the fifth round by a punch that was later ruled a low blow by the referee. Promoter Frank Warren's appeal to the WBA to declare the match a no contest was unsuccessful, paving the way for this highly anticipated rematch.

Dubois expressed that the loss to Usyk had been a source of significant pain and frustration but also a catalyst for his growth. "It will feel even better when it's done, when I have knocked him out and won. Put the demons to bed and put right what went wrong," he added.

As the boxing world eagerly awaits this clash of titans, the psychological warfare between Usyk and Dubois adds an intriguing layer to their physical battle for heavyweight supremacy.