Britain’s Daniel Dubois retains his IBF belt by beating Anthony Joshua

There was no room for doubt about the conquest of the IBF heavyweight title. The British Daniel Dubois knocked out his compatriot Anthony Joshua in a one-sided fight, on Saturday 21st September in front of a giant crowd at Wembley.

Daniel “Dynamite” Dubois, more agile, mobile and powerful, knocked “AJ” out several times, starting in the first round, before delivering a fatal blow at the start of the fifth round. This is the 22nd career victory for the native of Greenwich, south of London, his 21st by knockout, compared to two losses.

Saturday night’s fight seemed like a relay between the 27-year-old puncher and his elder Joshua (34), a two-time world champion, who was trying to return to the top of his noble art.

Record attendance at a post-war battle in the English Channel

Dubois had already made a strong impression in his previous match against Filip Hrgovic to win the interim IBF belt in June. The world title was awarded to him permanently when its holder, Oleksandr Usyk, vacated it by forfeit. But the one we nicknamed “Triple D” admitted that he wanted to win the title. “Become legitimate by winning this fight”.

He did it without a doubt, with an iron will from the start and devastating blows throughout, in front of the announced 96,000 spectators at Wembley, a record attendance for a boxing match in post-war Britain.

“I am a gladiator, a warrior to the end”He called out the winner to the crowd from the ring. “I’ve been on a roller coaster, this is my moment, this is my redemption story. I won’t stop until I reach my full potential.”continuous.

Constantly on the attack, Dubois sent Joshua to the ropes and to the canvas several times, especially in the third round where the momentum seemed to be building. In the fifth, Joshua destabilized his opponent with a well-placed right, but the latter responded immediately and landed the final blow, a powerful right to the chin.

Looking forward to the Fury-Usyk clash

Good player, the defeated acknowledged on the microphone the superiority of his rival of the night, at the same time as the “mistakes” committed in the ring. At 34, Joshua will have to overcome another great disappointment, one that he was slowly recovering from after three traumatic defeats.

The native of Watford, north London, experienced an initial shock when he lost to American-Mexican Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019, before losing twice to Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022. The latter defeat had left him in tears and it took time for his morale to heal. But before Saturday, he had once again become a punching and winning machine during his previous four fights, including his last against MMA star Francis Ngannou. His aim was to secure a third world title in London to live up to the likes of legends such as Mohamed Ali, Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield.

Joshua fight promoter Eddie Hearn said that ” TRUE “ who would seek revenge. “But he will need rest and it is a dangerous fight. This kid is gaining confidence all the time.”said.

Dubois can now start dreaming of a fight against the winner of the “rematch” between Usyk, the unified world champion, and Britain’s Tyson Fury on December 21 in Riyadh. Who does he want to face now? “All the best, maybe Usyk”smiled on Saturday.