Daniel Dubois’ fight with Oleksandr Usyk has been so poorly promoted that tickets are going for as low as £50. It should be the talk of the nation, but it’s flying under the radar like a midweek undercard in a leisure centre.
This is a British heavyweight world champion, fighting at Wembley in his home city, against an unbeaten opponent who has dismantled Anthony Joshua twice and beaten Tyson Fury, two of our household names.
It’s only the second undisputed heavyweight fight in the past two decades and you’d barely know it’s happening.
So where’s the buzz? Where’s the bad blood, the trash talk, the shoulder-to-shoulder pressers that get people foaming at the mouth?
There’s been more noise over Jake Paul’s next YouTube sparring session than this historic clash.
Maybe it’s because Usyk is such a heavy favourite. Maybe fans have already written Dubois off – but even that’s no excuse.
This should be a Rocky-style redemption story: the quiet Brit with bombs in both hands going up against the pound-for-pound maestro.
Or maybe there’s been a serious failure to build Dubois into the star he should be.
He’s got the physique, the power, the record and the belt. But no profile. No personality pushed. And seemingly very little interest from boxing fans.
Novak’s farewell
Next year has to be Novak Djokovic’s final Wimbledon. The 38-year-old doesn’t have the legs to keep up with youngsters Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz any more.
He deserves one final farewell and to bow out before he’s losing to qualifiers in the early rounds.
