Daniel Dubois pulls off the shocker and stops Anthony Joshua to retain IBF title

At one time, not so long ago, some labeled Daniel Dubois “a quitter.” They questioned his heart, his integrity, and at his core, whether he was truly a championship-caliber fighter.

What is important is that he never questioned himself. Dubois fought back against the stigma. He rejuvenated his career with wins over Jarrell Miller (TKO 10) and Filip Hrgovic (TKO 8). His victory over Hrgovic gave him the IBF interim title, which was subsequently upgraded to a “full” title.

Yet he and Anthony Joshua needed each other. They were two damaged boxing souls bound by a common thread—they each lost to the undefeated Ring and heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk. Both needed to reclaim their standings in the heavyweight division, both needed redemption against each other in a strange way.

Dubois received it in a stunning fifth-round knockout of Joshua on Saturday night as part of Riyadh Season: Wembley Edition in front of a record 96,000 at Wembley Stadium, in London, England, retaining the IBF heavyweight title vacated by Usyk for his December rematch with Tyson Fury.

The Ring’s no. 6 heavyweight contender, the 27-year-old Dubois (22-2, 21 knockouts) knocked out the 34-year-old Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) in the first, third, fourth and fifth rounds. . The end officially came at :59 of the fifth, after Dubois caught Joshua with a counter right to the jaw.

“I just have a few things to say, ‘Aren’t you entertained!'” Dubois shouted to the energetic crowd. “It was a long journey. I am grateful to be in this position. I am a gladiator, and I am a warrior who fights to the bitter end. Behind the scenes, working with my father and a strong team helped me get through this. I was on a roller coaster and this is my redemption story.”

Dubois connected on 91 of 230 punches (46%) with 27 high-impact heads, to Joshua’s 60 of 139 (48%), and 16 high-impact punches.

“Credit to (Dubois) and his team,” Joshua said. “We rolled the dice for success and we fell short. You know I’m pissed. You know I want to kick up in the ring. We keep rolling the dice. I had a sharp opponent, a fast opponent, but a lot of mistakes on my side. That’s the game, as pissed off as I am.”

Daniel Dubois catches Anthony Joshua in the 1st round. From there, Joshua never stood a chance against Dubois. (Photo by Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing).

At the start, Dubois attacked Joshua in the opening minute. Dubois, wearing black, entered the ring very composed, almost seemingly too relaxed. In contrast, Joshua, in white trunks, looked stiff during his ring walk.

Dubois, who weighs a career-high 248.6 pounds, dropped Joshua with a big overhand right to the chin in the final five seconds of the first. It came after Joshua Dubois missed with an overhand right.

Not wanting to lose any momentum, Dubois got to Joshua in the first moments of the second round. Dubois looked like he had Joshua in trouble again, but by the middle of the round Joshua seemed to stabilize himself. Joshua survived the round, despite being clipped in the back of the head with a Dubois right.

At the start of the third, Dubois stunned Joshua with a quick combination. He made Joshua stand backwards, still trying to get his legs under him. In the last minute of the round, Dubois sent Joshua down a second time. Dubois hooked Joshua with a left to the chin, and referee Marcus McDonnell did a very poor job of not seeing Joshua’s gloves touch the canvas.

Dubois officially sent Joshua down at the start of the fourth. Maybe it was a make-up call for the previous round because it looked more like a slip than a takedown caused by a punch.