Daniel Dubois demolishes fellow Briton Anthony Joshua to retain IBF heavyweight belt

LONDON – Britain’s Daniel Dubois destroyed Anthony Joshua’s dream of becoming a three-time heavyweight world champion with a fifth-round knockout to retain his International Boxing Federation (IBF) belt at a packed Wembley Stadium on Sept 21.

Dubois dropped his compatriot to the canvas in the opening round with a stinging right, the referee delivering a standing eight count, and the 27-year-old proceeded to tear up the pre-fight predictions as swiftly as he ripped into his opponent.

Joshua, 34, took another hammering in round 2 but managed to ride out the storm before round 3 came crashing down around him again.

With Dubois landing more fizzing right-handers, Joshua was literally on the ropes before being saved by the bell.

He could barely stand at the end of the fourth, after going down again with two minutes remaining, and then it was all over in the fifth, with the painstaking rebuilding of his career suddenly in ruins.

After landing a few promising blows, any signs of a fightback faded with a right to the chin that sent Joshua down, the former IBF, World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Organisation champion this time unable to get back on his feet.

“I’ve only got a few words to say: Are you not entertained?” declared Dubois after the biggest win, and first at Wembley Stadium, of a 24-fight career with two defeats.

“I’m a gladiator, I’m a warrior to the bitter end. I want to get to the top level of this game and reach my full potential.

“I’ve been on a roller-coaster ride. This is my time, this is my redemption story, and I’m not going to stop until I reach my full potential.”

Organisers said a British post-World War II record of 96,000 spectators attended the Saudi-funded fight at the London venue.

Among them were Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher, singing three songs on his 52nd birthday ahead of a reunion in 2025, and Ukraine’s WBA, World Boxing Council and World Boxing Organisation champion Oleksandr Usyk.

Usyk has beaten both Joshua and Dubois and will fight Britain’s Tyson Fury, also present, in a rematch in Saudi Arabia in December.

Joshua might have hoped to have a crack at the winner of that fight but instead faces an uncertain future, with Dubois sending a seismic ripple through the familiar heavyweight landscape.

Dubois said he is hoping for another shot at Usyk, who defeated him in nine rounds in Wroclaw, Poland in 2023.

The Ukrainian previously held the IBF belt but vacated it for the Fury rematch, with Dubois the interim holder and upgraded to world champion in June.

“Credit to him and his team. We rolled the dice of success, but we came up short,” said Joshua, after the defeat left him with a record of four defeats from 32 bouts.

“We keep rolling the dice. I had a sharp opponent, a fast opponent and a lot of mistakes from my end, but that’s the game.”

Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said he expected to exercise a rematch clause. AFP