Daniel Dubois retained his IBF heavyweight title by knocking out former two-time champion Anthony Joshua in the fifth round Saturday in the first defense of his belt.
Joshua had already been knocked down in the first and third rounds of the fight at Wembley Stadium before falling flat on his face, struck down by a straight right hand from his fellow Briton. The referee used up the 10-count and waved the fight off.
“Didn’t you enjoy yourselves?” shouted Dubois to a crowd that set a post-war record for a boxing match in Britain.
These were his first words after the fight in front of 96,000 spectators.
“This is my moment, my redemption story,” said Dubois, who became IBF champion after Oleksandr Usyk vacated the belt in June. “I will not stop until I reach my full potential.”
The fight took place in front of a record British crowd of 96,000 fans.
Joshua arrived as the favourite, looking to emulate boxing greats like Muhammad Ali and Lennox Lewis as a three-time heavyweight champion.
However, he was outclassed all the way by Dubois, who completed his mission of legitimising his status as champion of the top flight.
Now, Dubois has put himself in position to face the winner of the rematch between WBA, WBC and WBO champion Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury.
“I’m a gladiator. I’m a warrior to the end,” Dubois said. “I want to get to the highest level.”
Joshua vowed to continue boxing despite suffering a fourth defeat in the past five years. This was the worst of all, a beating.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said he wanted to exercise the clause entitling him to a rematch with Dubois.
Joshua was saved by the bell in the first and third rounds after knockdowns.
“I had a sharp opponent, a fast opponent,” Joshua said. “A lot of the mistakes were mine.”
Joshua looked great from the start, dominating with his right fist. By the time he knocked down his opponent with a right hook, he was already in control of the fight.
The two-time champion stuck his tongue out at Dubois as he made his way back to the corner, but it was clear he had suffered damage when he returned for the second round.
His legs buckled after absorbing a pair of left hands from Dubois, who waited until the third round before unleashing his next powerful right hands.
When he did, Joshua went to the ropes, hit by a left hand punch. His knees were shaking as the referee gave him the eight count, but somehow he survived.
He appeared disoriented and unsteady. He went down twice in the fourth round, though both times it was ruled that he had slipped.
The undisputed ending came at 59 seconds into the fifth round, when Joshua tried to attack. The champion shook him with a left hook and then grabbed him with the other hand, causing him to fall forward.
“The credit goes to him. We fell short today,” Joshua admitted.
