Anthony Joshua admitted he wanted to ‘kick off in this ring’ moments after being knocked out by Daniel Dubois in a ferocious bout at Wembley.
The 34-year-old entered the fight hoping to join an elite group of boxers, including Muhammad Ali, who have been three-time world champions.
Played out in front of a record 96,000-strong crowd under the famous arch, the bout delivered on the promise of being a ‘firefight’ with neither boxer paying much attention to defending or point-winning, instead winding themselves up for a knockout blow.
And it was Dubois who produced a coming-of-age performance to dominate the two-time champion for four-and-a half-rounds before a dramatic exchange of punches in the fifth saw the underdog land the decisive strike.
After the fight, ‘AJ’ expressed his frustration with the way the highly-anticipated fight had panned out, the result of which almost certainly ruling him out of a career-defining all-English clash with long-time rival Tyson Fury.
Anthony Joshua has admitted he wants to ‘kick off in this ring’ after being knocked out by Daniel Dubois
Played out in front of a record 96,000-strong crowd under the famous arch, the bout delivered on the promise of being a ‘firefight’ with Joshua knocked down numerous times
But it was Dubois who produced a coming-of-age performance to dominate the two-time champion for four-and-a half-rounds
He said: ‘Credit to him and his team. We rolled the dice of success, but we came up short.
‘You know I’m ready to kick off in the ring, but I’m going to keep my cool, keep very professional, and give respect to my opponent.
‘I’m always saying to myself I’m a fighter for life… We keep rolling the dice.
‘I had a sharp opponent, a fast opponent and a lot of mistakes from my end, but that’s the game.’
The great and the good of the sporting and entertainment worlds, including Fury, Rio Ferdinand, Guy Ritchie and Conor McGregor, had congregated ringside to watch what was billed by Dubois’ promoter Frank Warren as ‘Britain’s answer to [Marvin] Hagler versus [Thomas] Hearns’.
High billing indeed. That 1985 bout was an all-guns-blazing affair between two legends of the sport with Hagler stopping his opponent inside three rounds.
After hours of competitive undercard clashes – and a set from Liam Gallagher – the two British fighters walked out at 10pm to an almighty roar.
And the fight was contested at a dizzying pace from the very start of the first round, with Joshua experiencing an onslaught from his younger opponent that he will not forget in a hurry.
Dubois left AJ on the ground in the fifth round with the punch of his career so far
A dramatic exchange of punches in the fifth saw the underdog land the decisive blow
Dubois set the tone early on with some clean punches to rock Joshua
Dubois caught the favourite early with a jab that would define the early stages of the bout, rocking Joshua slightly but seemingly having a long-term effect on his reactions.
A series of Dubois jabs followed with the underdog leaning into his punches to take the maximum toll on AJ.
A huge right hand then rocked Joshua at the end of the round leaving the former champion on his haunches.
Miraculously, Joshua made the count with the bell immediately sounding after to wrap up a stunning opening salvo.
The second set of three minutes followed on in similar fashion. A good shot early in the round had AJ rocked but the 34-year-old somehow balanced himself using the ropes and his opponent’s body.
He was only lining himself up for more punishment, with Dubois landing another good left hand halfway through round two.
At this point the Dubois leading left was so dominant and being used at will and at the end of round two Warren told an interviewer his fighter was ‘outjabbing’ Joshua but that he had to ‘focus’.
And focus he did – a zoned-in Dubois catching the Watford man with a right hand to send him staggering backwards once more as a shocked Wembley watched on almost in silence, shocked at the clinical display from Dubois.
After hours of competitive undercard clashes – and a set from Liam Gallagher – the two British fighters walked out at 10pm
And the fight was contested at a dizzying pace from the very start of the first round, with Joshua experiencing an onslaught from his younger opponent
Miraculously, Joshua made the count with the bell immediately sounding after to wrap up a stunning opening salvo
A zoned-in Dubois caught the Watford man with a right hand to send him staggering backwards
Joshua’s boxing basics left something to be desired throughout the electric contest but no one could criticise his heart.
Getting tagged constantly on the body and the head, it was one-way traffic with AJ unable to offer as much as a jab in response.
At the end of round three there was more chaos as Dubois rained down yet more costly blows, with the bell going before the referee could do his count.
Joshua’s legs had given way from beneath him after a smart overhand left before a flurry of punches rained down.
Once he got round to it, he was convinced that Joshua could fight on – but for how much longer?
A gripping fight threatened to turn into a farce after the former champion tripped over twice at the start of round four causing confusion at Wembley, with the referee counting the first as a knockdown a counting down a bemused Joshua who beat his chest defiantly.
Ben Davison had slightly less confidence with the trainer credited with turning AJ’s fortunes around ready with the towel on the edge of the ring.
A timeout was then called after Dubois punched slightly low providing a timely stoppage for a rocked Joshua but infuriating a crowd baying for blood – thousands booing at the stifling decision.
Joshua’s boxing basics left something to be desired throughout the electric contest but no one could criticise his heart
In the end it was Dubois who was having his hand raised in a fight that lived up to the hype
The Londoner was able to celebrate with his younger brother after an incredible victory
A fired-up Dubois then came straight out and rocked Joshua once more. After such punishment it was barely believeable that the pre-bout favourite was still up and clinching.
All AJ could do was try to land a miracle uppercut to pull off the ultimate comeback with the 34-year-old regularly going for the knockout blow but delivering his attempts with a significant lack of energy.
But as a remarkable fourth round wound down, there was a sense that Joshua might have another way back into the fight with Dubois seemingly tiring – disheartened perhaps by the bionic Joshua’s survival skills.
Then, the show-stopping fifth.
In between the momentous rounds, Joshua could incredibly be heard chatting away to Davison in his corner, seeming to defiantly brand his dominant opponent ‘s***’.
The key message, canted out almost hypnotically, was: ‘roll the dice’.
And roll the dice he did.
Promoter Frank Warren (right) had promised Britain’s answer to Marvin Hagler versus Thomas Hearns and the Wembley clash delivered
Legendary announcer Michael Buffer calling out a victorious Dubois’ name after his win
Tyson Fury (left) was one of many celebrities in attendance on Saturday night. Could the Gypsy King be next for Dubois?
The determined former champion struck Dubois with a strong right hand to cause the younger fighter serious trouble.
With Joshua sensing blood, Dubois then produced the punch of his career with a right hand just a split second before the two-time champion could land his own decisive blow.
Joshua was down for good this time but he had gone out swinging.
