A shocking conclusion at Wembley Stadium: Daniel “DDD” Dubois obliterated fellow countryman Anthony “AJ” Joshua in just five rounds, securing the most important victory of his career and cementing his status as the IBF heavyweight world champion. The win, which came against the vast majority of predictions, was nothing short of overwhelming: Joshua was knocked down three times before suffering a brutal KO.
It was clear from the first round that the reigning champion had no reverence for his more decorated challenger. Dubois adopted an aggressive strategy, using a strong left jab to break through and immediately imposing close-range combat, disregarding any potential risks.
In contrast, Joshua seemed more inclined to manage the situation, but near the end of the round, he made a huge technical error that marked the beginning of his downfall. While exiting an exchange, he dropped his guard completely and was caught by a violent overhand right from Dubois, which landed squarely on his chin, sending him to the canvas.
Saved by the bell, the challenger tried to regain his composure during the break, but one minute was not enough. In the second round, Dubois dominated a dazed and vulnerable Joshua, who constantly appeared on the verge of collapse.
In the third round, the pre-fight favorite desperately attempted to engage in clinching whenever Dubois got close, but once again, just seconds before the round ended, he left an opening too tempting to ignore. Dubois buckled Joshua’s knees with a vicious close-range left hook, then pinned him against the ropes and unleashed a flurry of punches: another knockdown and another timely bell.
Joshua was so disoriented that he fell twice on his own at the start of the fourth round, with referee Marcus McDonnell counting the first fall as the third knockdown of the night. For the next three minutes, the former Olympic champion merely fought to survive, even bizarrely provoking Dubois by pointing to the stool as if telling him to sit down at the round’s end.
The conclusion was a fitting capstone to an explosive fight. Almost like a bolt from the blue, in the first minute of the fifth round, Joshua landed a powerful right straight, the first to trouble the champion, forcing Dubois to back up against the ropes.
AJ rushed in, landing two more right hands to the head, but Dubois kept his cool and reflexes intact. After absorbing the third blow, he immediately countered with his own right cross.
At this point, Joshua made the final, catastrophic mistake of his nightmare evening. Failing to realize that there was no room left to continue the attack, he attempted a questionable right uppercut from mid-range, leaving an open path for Dubois’ straight right. The impact was devastating, and Joshua collapsed to the floor with no chance of getting back up.
An incredible victory and an outstanding performance from DDD. The English fighter, who had risen from the ashes after defeats to Joe Joyce and Oleksandr Usyk—losses some believed had knocked him out of the elite ranks—has surged back to the top of the boxing world. Today, Dubois can rightfully be considered the third-best heavyweight, after the aforementioned Usyk and Tyson Fury.
Dubois excelled in all areas. He showed courage, attacking the opponent from the start without fear of being countered. He displayed technical skills, capitalizing on every opportunity to land precise punches. He demonstrated toughness, absorbing Joshua’s best shot. And, of course, he once again showcased his lethal power.
For the defeated Joshua, recovering from this debacle will be immensely difficult. He entered the ring as the heavy favorite, with a clear path ahead: regain a world title and aim for one of the two heavyweight titans in 2025. But the plan began to crumble due to a technical error that one would never expect from a professional of his caliber, only to be shattered completely under the weight of Dubois’ relentless attack.
At nearly 35 years old, this defeat could leave irreparable damage to both the body and psyche of the Watford-born athlete. Only time will tell whether AJ will attempt yet another comeback or if this crushing KO marks the definitive end of his boxing career.