Anthony Joshua fought Daniel Dubois in front of 96,000 at Wembley Stadium for the IBF world heavyweight champion belt.
Daniel Dubois has knocked out Daniel Dubois in the fifth round with a devastating right hand to the chin. Watch it below:
IT'S ALL OVER🔥🔥🔥#RiyadhSeasonCard: Wembley Edition#JoshuaDubois | Live NOW on https://t.co/FoiaUucafv: Click link in bio to buy | @Turki_alalshikh pic.twitter.com/zZEm2Vufy9
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) September 21, 2024
It was one-way traffic from the first round, as Dubois put his opponent on the canvas, which AJ never seemed to recover from, before the brutal punch to end it.
It was a textbook potential ‘career ender’ for Anthony Joshua, as Frank Warren put it before the fight, in front of 96,000 at Wembley Stadium.
All of them revved up by Liam Gallagher, who delivered on three undisputed Oasis classics on the cusp of the main event, rather than scrapping his brother on the undercard now that they’ve made up. See that below:
"Tonight, I'm a Rock 'n' Roll Star" 🤘@Michael_Buffer introduces Liam Gallagher at Wembley 😍#RiyadhSeasonCard: Wembley Edition | #JoshuaDubois | Buy NOW on TNT Sports Box Office ▶️ https://t.co/FXWiFF98Ej pic.twitter.com/nAwqNZUvrc
— Boxing on TNT Sports (@boxingontnt) September 21, 2024
AJ was in for a scrap, however, and could not afford another defeat on his record – it read 28 wins in 31 fights going into the bout – as he hoped to end his career with another shot at Usyk, or Fury, to become undisputed world champion.
With the Gypsy King and Usyk ringside, Daniel Dubois stood in his way, carrying the IBF world heavyweight title vacated by the Ukrainian, after he refused to pull out of his contracted rematch with Fury and fight his mandatory challenger for the belt.
Dubois, a fellow big puncher, is seven years Joshua’s junior at 27 and has also tasted defeat to Usyk before resurrecting his career with victories over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic.
Immediately into the fight, Dubois showed his pedigree and got straight into his work, dropping Joshua with a huge right hand in the first round to put his opponent on notice.
Saved by the bell, Joshua weathered the continuing storm from Dubois before he was stung with another right at the start of the third round.
Worse was to come as Dubois yet again rocked Joshua with a left hook to end the round. He didn’t look good on his feet.
AJ was back on the canvas again at the start of the fourth and in massive trouble. Surely it was only a matter of time. In the fifth, he managed to land a walloping right before being knocked out by the counter-punch from Dubois.
A sensational night for Dubois, he kept on going and peppering Joshua with the big shots.
The occasion never got to him, as some suggested it could, and he’ll be eyeing another one with all four belts on the line, following the conclusion of Fury and Usyk in December.
Speaking after the fight, Dubois said: “I’ve only got a few things to say, are you not entertained?”
“It’s been a journey and I’m grateful to be in this position. I’m a gladiator, I’m a warrior until the bitter end.
“I want to get to the top of this sport and reach my full potential.
“Behind the scenes, the work with my dad. I’ve been on a rollercoaster run, this is my time, this is my redemption story. I’m not going to stop until I reach my full potential.”
Anthony Joshua was equally full of praise and respect for his opponent, with Eddie Hearn teasing a potential rematch between the two. Watch what AJ said after the fight:
"Credit to him and the team – we came up short" 😞
Anthony Joshua reflects on defeat to Daniel Dubois 👇
#JoshuaDubois #RiyadhSeasonCard pic.twitter.com/z4z3JZhIpJ— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) September 21, 2024
Many will wonder what’s next for Anthony Joshua, who spoke about hanging up his gloves in two years time.
Whatever the ramifications of this fight and whether we finally see him fight Fury, he’s been a true warrior of the sport and a two-time heavyweight champion.
But it was Daniel Dubois’s night, and many will have been left shocked by his total dominance. Let’s hope he can shake up the division and get it on for all four belts.
Featured Image Credit: Getty Images
