There was high drama at a packed Wembley on Saturday evening, as home favourite Anthony Joshua was easily dispatched by reigning IBF Heavyweight Champion Daniel Dubois.
The Ghanian fighter knocked out Joshua in the fifth round having controlled large periods of the bout in its opening stages. After putting his rival on the canvas three times – inviting the referee to count in Rounds 1, 3, and 4 – Dubois landed a monster right jab to conclusively end Joshua’s diminishing resistance.
AJ came into the fight in impressive form, having last tasted defeat way back in August 2022 following a challenging spell of setbacks. The Watford-born hero had also unapologetically wiped-out Francis Ngannou at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena in March, dismissing his opponent with a devastating blow in the second round. However, Saturday’s performance left much to be desired.
After a lively start in front of 96,000 boisterous spectators – the highest attendance at a boxing event in the United Kingdom in the postwar era – Joshua toiled against a relentless Dubois. The 27-year-old powerhouse – in full possession of the IBF Heavyweight belt following Oleksandr Usyk’s decision to pursue a rematch with Tyson Fury – was all over Joshua throughout, landing a string of productive punches in each of the five rounds.
The writing appeared on the wall during the early exchanges of the fourth round, as Ben Davies considered throwing in the towel. Having already watched his client seek refuge in the corner twice after being floored in the dying embers of Rounds 1 and 3, the experienced trainer was eager to get Joshua back to safety. Nevertheless, within minutes of Davies almost putting a stop to proceedings, the count of referee Marcus McDonnell had ended Joshua’s torment.
Although the bookmakers had positioned Joshua as the heavy favourite ahead of Saturday’s Riyadh League encounter, Dubois’ triumph shouldn’t be considered a major shock. After Usyk inflicted just the second defeat of his career last summer, Dubois recovered to register eye-catching wins over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgović in Saudi Arabia. He’ll now likely face the victor of December’s hotly anticipated duel between Usyk and Fury, with the undisputed heavyweight world title potentially up for grabs.
“I’m fighting to get all the glory, to me I’m the hunter and I need to hunt,” remarked Dubois in his post-match analysis. “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.”
It was contrasting emotions for Joshua, who was left licking his wounds after a chastising night in north-west London. “Before I came here, I always say to myself I’m a fighter for life,” said a resolute Joshua, adding “you keep rolling the dice. I had a fast and sharp opponent, a lot of mistakes from my end.”
Although Joshua’s experienced far more humbling defeats, the fourth loss of his blockbuster career is arguably the most damaging. Soon to be 35 years old, boxing’s poster boy finds himself without a clear pathway ahead. A rematch with Dubois remains a possibility, but it may be something AJ’s camp aims to avoid given the bruising contest that unfolded at Wembley. Prior to the weekend, rumours of a future match-up involving Joshua and Fury were gathering pace, with native boxing fans desperate to see a showdown between the UK’s prized fighting exports. However, this now appears extremely unlikely after Saturday’s result.
Before the evening’s main event, Liam Gallagher delivered a three-song cameo that failed to inspire many of those watching in the stands and tuning in from home. The Mancunian frontman will get his shot at redemption during Oasis’ sell-out reunion tour next year; it’s unclear as to when Joshua will get his, and whether he’ll be in a position to take advantage of any such opportunity.
