Teddy Atlas has been discussing the two hot topics that came off the back of Oleksandr Usyk’s successful defense of his WBO, WBA and IBF world titles against Daniel Dubois, the first being an alleged low blow, the second behind whether or not he quit.
Trainer turned pundit Atlas is never afraid to call things as he sees it and that has been the case again this week, just days after Usyk stopped Dubois in the ninth round. Dubois was knocked down with what looked like a jab and seemed to be in possession of all his senses while watching the referee count him out.
Speaking on The Fight, Atlas was frank with his view of what that means.
“Dubois quit.”
He then acknowledged that’s a strong statement to make but stood by it.
“A lot of people aren’t going to like that. Did he get the chance to be champion robbed from him [because of the low blow in the fifth round]? A lot of people said he did. It was unfortunate the way it went because we got controversy here and you wish you didn’t have it.”
Once again, Atlas said Dubois opted out before adding that it was the second time he has done so following his loss to Joe Joyce.
“But he quit. He submitted. He’s got a history of this. He did the same thing in his only other loss against Joe Joyce. He was winning that fight. He’s got good skills. But he doesn’t have a strong resolve. He’s not mentally tough. It’s that old saying, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. He hasn’t quite been able to do that. The pressure of Joyce broke him down [to the point] where he gave in. It’s the reality. It happens sometimes.”
While Dubois and his team will hold onto the low-blow controversy, Dynamite will now have to rebuild and show the world he has the mental fortitude that is required to make it to the very top.
