By Jim Calfa: WBA ‘common’ heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois admits to being out of it after being dropped for the primary of thrice in spherical one in his profitable title protection in opposition to Kevin Lerena (28-2, 14 KOs) final Saturday night time on the Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium in London.
The large 6’5″ Dubois’s proper knee gave out from below him after getting hit on the top by a lightning-fast left hand from Lerena within the first spherical.
After that, Dubois (19-1, 18 KOs) discovered himself on the canvas twice with out realizing how he acquired there.
Lerena had an opportunity for the coup de grace within the second spherical, however he surprisingly stayed away and boxed Dubois. By the third spherical, Dubois’ head had cleared, and he was in a position to drop Lerena with a straight proper.
You’ll be able to argue that Dubois was nonetheless susceptible even within the third, however his energy bailed him out. Though Dubois was nonetheless damage, he was nonetheless highly effective, and Lerena couldn’t stand as much as his photographs.
“Unusual, wasn’t it? It was actually unusual. I pulled by way of it in some way,” stated Daniel Dubois to Frank Warren’s Queensbury about being dropped thrice by the unknown Kevin Lerena within the first spherical final Saturday night time. “It was loopy.”
In the event you’re Dubois’s administration staff, you’ve acquired to be involved about his future as a result of if he’s getting dropped by a former cruiserweight with a 46.7% KO proportion, that’s troubling.
Joe Joyce already stopped Dubois, and he doubtless would have been stopped final Saturday night time if there have been extra time on the clock within the first spherical. Yet another knockdown would have achieved it within the first spherical, and Dubois acquired actually fortunate.
“I believe my knee went or one thing like that. I acquired caught excessive on the top,” stated Dubois. “After that, I believed, ‘The place is that shot coming from?’ As a result of I didn’t see it, after which the knee went,” Dubois stated about being dropped for the primary time in spherical one by Lerena.
“I recovered rapidly and acquired my senses again collectively. I don’t know. Within the first spherical, I don’t assume I used to be actually on it. I used to be there, however I actually wasn’t there in my thoughts.
“After I acquired knocked down, I acquired again up, and I like, ‘Proper, I’m in a struggle,’ and I used to be awake. It was unusual. Yeah, probably,” stated Dubois when requested if he may not have warmed up correctly.
“As soon as after the knockdowns, I felt alright as a result of I used to be respiration and I used to be scorching, after which I acquired into it. I’ve acquired to study a number of classes after this, for certain.
“I’ve acquired to have this knee checked out after which work on warming up correctly. Being full of life and firey as a result of I labored actually arduous for this struggle, however the warm-up let me down a bit. I’ll come again stronger and are available again correct on it subsequent time.
“It was fairly bizarre and fairly unusual. I acquired the victory, and it was a loopy ambiance. I’m glad I acquired it achieved and landed the photographs that I did. I’m certain it regarded good on TV.
“I should have been [nervous] with out even realizing it. I used to be in a trance-like. After the knockdown, I used to be out of it. It’s boxing for you. Loopy individuals.
“The physician to have my knee checked out. After that, we’ll return and see. I want extra busy once more and extra exercise. I’ve been a bit inactive for some time, and that will have performed a task in it as effectively,” stated Dubois.
It was thrilling to look at, however this will’t be signal for Dubois’ profession as a result of there are a lot greater punchers than Lerena within the division.
