Dubois Vs Usyk: ‘the belly button has nothing to do with it’ – Elite Referee Reiss Explains A Low Blow

Follow Us Now!

If what Referee Jack Reiss told DAZN Boxing is true, then Daniel Dubois is right in saying he had been robed of his victory against Ukrainian Heavyweight champion, Olexandr Usyk. The boxing world has not stopped talking about the fight, and now Jack Reiss has announced his opinion while explaining how to judge a low blow.

Everybody’s belly button is different, some are lower and some are higher. So you can’t use the belly button. The hip line is the low blow point – the belly button has nothing to do with it.

A low blow is any time the majority of the gloves is below that hip line. On the hip line is legal, and it doesn’t become illegal until a majority of the glove starts to get below it.

This is why we identify the hip line for everybody before a fight – this is the line, don’t hit below this.

(Left to right) Fury, Ref. Reiss, Wilder.

– Esteemed Referee Jack Reiss, the referee who officiated at the title match between Fury and Deontay Wilder.

Puerto Rican referee Luis Pabon had given Heavyweight Champion Usyk over three minutes recovery time after a body blow by Daniel Dubois dropped him on the canvas. Prior to the match 25 years old Dubois had announced that the world champion was getting old. He declared he was the man to bring him down.

The controversial blow was the only remarkable attack the 25 years old Brit was able to land before the match was over. He was knocked down in two rounds later, at the last of which Ref. Pabon decided to end the contest and declare Olexandr Usyk the winner.

Promoter Eddie Hearn has laid bare his disappointment in Usyk’s performance during the match. His comment hints that the champion seems to be slowing down.

I thought Usyk didn’t look himself from the first bell. I thought his feet looked slow, I thought he looked tired, I thought [it was] like he’d aged. Was it the pressure of fighting pretty much at home? He hasn’t done that very often at all?

Was he injured? … Why use a small ring? Whenever I see a fighter that like to move use a small ring it tells me they’ve got a problem. It tells me they don’t wanna move a lot. Which is very unusual for Usyk, cause if you’re fighting Daniel Dubois I think you’d like a bigger ring.

Was there an injury? Was there an operation? I don’t know. Listen, he still won every round.

– British Promoter Eddie Hearn.

Dubois’s team have made public their desire to lobby for a rematch. It seemed they would fail, but things might happen in their favour if events keep following this route.