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In a thrilling showdown at Wembley Stadium, Daniel Dubois successfully defended his IBF heavyweight title, stopping Anthony Joshua in the fifth round to cement his place as a top contender in the heavyweight division. The bout, witnessed by a record 96,000 fans, saw Joshua’s hopes of becoming a three-time heavyweight world champion dashed.
The 27-year-old Dubois made an emphatic statement from the start, knocking down Joshua towards the end of the first round with a powerful overhand right to the chin. He continued to dominate, dropping the 34-year-old former champion in the third round and twice more in the fourth. A decisive right hook in the fifth round sealed the victory, as Joshua was unable to recover.
Following his victory, Dubois addressed the crowd, declaring, “I’m a gladiator… I’m just ready to go to the top level of this game and reach my potential.”
Joshua, while disappointed, vowed to rebuild, admitting, “We came up short… I had a sharp opponent, a fast opponent, and made a lot of mistakes, but that’s the game.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn hinted that Joshua will likely exercise his rematch clause, saying, “He’ll believe he can beat him.”
Dubois’ dominant performance sets up potential blockbuster bouts, with a showdown against the winner of Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk II now on the horizon.
The fight capped off a star-studded evening, with appearances by Liam Gallagher, who performed ahead of the bout, and celebrities like Conor McGregor and Maya Jama ringside.
Photo credit: Sky News, The Internet
