Daniel Dubois’ bid to have his defeat against Oleksandr Usyk changed to a no-contest owing to a debatable low-blow call has been rejected by the WBA.
Usyk retained his WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles with a ninth-round knockout in August but the result was overshadowed by several incidences of low blows.
Referee Luis Pabon ruled Dubois’ brutal right hook in the fifth round to be below the waist and Usyk was allowed nearly four minutes to recover before going on to dominate the rest of the fight.
promoter Frank Warren last month officially appealing as he lobbied the WBA to overturn the result and order an immediate rematch.
But an independent panel stood behind Pabon’s decision while the WBA, in announcing it was upholding the original result, revealed its rules dictated that the referee has the final say in these matters.
