Referee Luis Pabon receives all the hate after the controversial Oleksandr Usyk vs. Daniel Dubois showdown in Poland. A seemingly dominating performance from Usyk saw the Ukrainian fighter annihilate Daniel Dubois to earn a ninth-round KO victory. This was the first KO win of Usyk’s professional boxing career.
With the victory, Usyk also defended his unified heavyweight titles. However, some would say what happened in the fifth round of the fight has put an asterisk on Usyk’s legacy.
Was Daniel Dubois’ “body shot” to Oleksandr Usyk a low blow?
One thing is for certain, Luis Pabon is not a good referee. While in the record books, Daniel Dubois’ shot to Oleksandr Usyk will certainly go down as a low blow, replay and different angles of the shot reveal a different story.
Luis Pabon celebrating with Usyk in his corner. How poetic.
— Deuce (@rangerrollins) August 26, 2023
Things have become more interesting after another similar incident involving Oleksandr Usyk and referee Luis Pabon popped up soon after Dubois vs. Usyk controversy. During the rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua, a similar body shot left Usyk mincing in pain. Once again, referee Luis Pabon called a low blow and allowed the Ukrainian fighter to recover. However, a close look at the shot later revealed that it may not have been a low blow.
In the case of the Joshua fight, Usyk did not look as hurt as he did against Dubois tonight. The unified heavyweight champion grimaced in pain and was given a full five minutes by the referee to recover. Needless to say, more than one occasion involving a similar incident has certainly raised eyebrows with many fans calling it the “biggest robbery in boxing history”.
Any shot below the navel in boxing is a low blow. While the replay in the fifth round doesn’t suggest a shot below the navel, the argument that Usyk’s shorts weren’t high and hence the shot was a low blow as also picked up heat.
LUIS PABON the same ref that allpwd Usyk to recover when he was hit with a clean body shot by AJ and pretended it was low. #Dubois was robbed and should be Champ right now. His ACL gave out again so who knows if continue his boxing. This should have been his night. #UsykDubois https://t.co/ShF05I3rc1
— Big Ish (@IshThom10) August 26, 2023
It’s not wrong to say controversies like this is nothing new in the sport of boxing, and in a game of inches, these “adjustments” from the referee can often play a significant role in the fight’s outcome. The heavyweight boxing division has never looked better, and with some exciting match-ups already planned and projected, it’s very likely Usyk may have been favored tonight. What are your thoughts?