The heavyweight fight between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois on Saturday night at Wembley Stadium in London was scheduled for 12 rounds.
It was over by the fifth.
Dubois retained his IBF heavyweight title after knocking out Joshua with a right to the chin. He had knocked down Joshua four times before the final blow.
Dubois will now get a shot against the winner of the Dec. 21 fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury.
Catch up with all of Saturday’s highlights, from main event to the undercard, below:
Daniel Dubois def. Anthony Joshua by KO
Anthony Joshua, climbing back up the heavyweight boxing ranks after setbacks, has tumbled yet again.
Daniel Dubois defeated Joshua on Saturday by fifth-round knockout and retained his IBF heavyweight title in front of a sellout crowd of 96,000 at Wembley Stadium in London.
Dubois knocked down Joshua four times and finished him off in the fifth round with a right to the chin.
“I had a sharp opponent and a fast opponent,” Joshua told DAZN when asked what went wrong. “And secondly, a lot of mistakes from my end.”
As for Dubois, “I’m a gladiator,” he told DAZN when asked about getting hurt by Joshua just before he delivered the knockout blow. “I’m just a warrior to the end, to the bitter end.”
DANIEL DUBOIS HAS KNOCKED OUT ANTHONY JOSHUA!!! WHAT A PERFORMANCE!#JoshuaDubois #Boxingpic.twitter.com/By8gbt42rT
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) September 21, 2024
Joshua was in position to secure a likely fight against the winner of the Dec. 21 bout between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury. Now Dubois, 27, will get that shot after improving to 21-3.
Joshua, 34, lost for the first time in five fights and fell to 28-4.
Anthony Joshua vs. Daniel Dubois, heavyweight, 12 rounds
Round 1: Fighters out fast, throwing jabs. Dubois scores with a right and charges in. Joshua flicking the jab as Dubois powers in and throws a body shot. Dubois clearly more aggressive. Fighters getting tied up now. Dubois darts in behind a jab but warned for leading with his head. Dubois connects with an overhand right and Joshua is down!!! He makes it to his feet as the 10-count ends and the bell rings. What a right by Dubois. Dubois 10, Joshua 8.
Round 2: Dubois coming in hard. Landing with both hands. Joshua’s in trouble, on the ropes. He’s holding on to Dubois – holding on for dear life? Dubois scores again and Joshua looks shaky. Dubois doubling-up with jabs, and Joshua counters with his own jabs. Dubois slows a bit. Leaning on the jab and then connects with a right. Joshua connects with a right – a sign of life. Dubois 20, Joshua 17.
Round 3: Joshua looks a little crisper, but Dubois barrels in and does some more damage. Dubois looks ready to pounce. He fires two jabs and nearly connects with a right. Joshua throws a overhand right and misses. Joshua scores with three jabs and the crowd awakens. Dubois still the aggressor. Dubois catches Joshua with another left. Here comes the barrage! Joshua hits the canvas as the bell rings. He’s on his feet and the referee will let him continue. Dubois 30, Joshua 25.
Round 4: Joshua down again! Clubbed by a right hand. Makes the count and he’s fighting again. Now on his backside, but it’s ruled no knockdown. The crowd looks stunned as Joshua hangs on to Dubois. Dubois is warned for a low blow and the crowd boos. Dubois unleashing powerful blows, Joshua staggering at times. Joshua unloads with a vicious hook. It misses, but it’s dangerous. Dubois 40, Joshua 33.
Round 5: Joshua tries to uncork the right. He knows he needs to hurt Dubois – and he has!!! But now Joshua goes down! Unreal! Dubois hurt and responds and down goes Joshua. It’s Dubois by KO!
