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

At one time, not that 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’s important is that he never questioned himself. Dubois fought back against the stigma. He rejuvenated his career with victories over Jarrell Miller (TKO 10) and Filip Hrgovic (TKO 8). His victory over Hrgovic gave him the IBF interim title, which had subsequently been upgraded to “full” titlist.

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

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

The Ring’s No. 6 heavyweight contender, the 27-year-old Dubois (22-2, 21 knockouts) knocked down 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 on the jaw with a counter right.

“I only have a few things to say, ‘Are you not entertained!’” Dubois screamed to the energetic crowd. “It’s been a long journey. I’m grateful to be in this position. I’m a gladiator, and I’m a warrior that fights to the bitter end. Behind the scenes, the work with my dad and a strong team helped me get through this. I have been on a roller coaster and this is my redemption story.”

Dubois connected on 91 of 230 punches (46%) with 27 high-impact connects, 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 came up 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 end. That’s the game, as pissed off as I am.”

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

At the outset, 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, seemed tight during his ring walk.

Dubois, weighing a career-high 248.6 pounds, put Joshua down with a huge, overhand right to the chin in the last five seconds of the first. That came after Joshua missed Dubois with an overhand right.

Not wanting to lose any momentum, Dubois came right out at Joshua in the opening moments of the second round. Dubois looked like he had Joshua in trouble again, though by the middle of the round, Joshua appeared to stabilize himself. Joshua survived the round, despite being clubbed in the back of the head with a Dubois right.

At the start of the third, Dubois stunned Joshua with a quick combination. He had Joshua backing up and still looking to get his legs under him. In the final minute of the round, Dubois sent Joshua down a second time. Dubois buckled Joshua with a left to the chin, and referee Marcus McDonnell did a very poor job in not seeing Joshua’s gloves touch the canvas.

Dubois sent Joshua down—officially—at the start of the fourth. Maybe it was a makeup call for the previous round, because it looked more like a slip than a knockdown caused by a punch.

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Joshua was all over the place. Dubois looked tired, but Joshua looked out on his feet. With 1:29 left in the round, Dubois piled a right into Joshua, which had him falling backward into the ropes. Joshua did not appear to have much left at the close of the fourth.

When Joshua looked like he was coming back in the fifth, Dubois caught Joshua with a counter right to the chin with 2:11 left in the round. Joshua fell for a fourth time in a heap in the corner. This time, McDonnell made the right call and waved it over at :59.

You have to wonder about Joshua’s future. He was supposed to devour Andy Ruiz Jr. in June 2019 and was knocked out in the seventh round, losing the IBF and WBO belts. He lost the same belts to Usyk in 2021 and lost to Usyk in the rematch in 2022.

He is on his third trainer after splitting with Robert McCracken after his first loss to Usyk in September 2021, going through Derrick James and Robert Garcia before settling on his current trainer, Ben Davison.

“AJ kept fighting, he never gave up and he never stopped trying to get up when he could not get up,” said Matchroom Promotions chairman Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter. “Massive, massive congratulations to Daniel Dubois. I’m sure AJ will exercise the rematch clause. Daniel Dubois deserves all the credit.”

For as much blown opportunities Joshua had, Dubois is on the opposite end. Dubois looked like he knocked down Usyk in the fifth round of their August 2023 fight, which was ruled a low blow, though some thought was a controversial call. Usyk went on to beat Dubois by stopping him in the ninth.

When asked who he would like to fight next, Dubois said Usyk. He will have to wait for that chance.

In the interim, no one will label him “a quitter” again.

Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been working for Ring Magazine/RingTV.com since October 1997 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America.
Follow @JSantoliquito [twitter.com]