Daniel Dubois defied all expectations when he blasted Anthony Joshua in five rounds at Wembley Stadium.
Dubois retained his IBF world heavyweight title, but he was shocked by the fact that he defeated the former two-time world heavyweight champion.
A monstrous right hand to the chin dropped Joshua heavily in the first round.
In the second, Dubois circled him and Joshua delivered heavy shots.
Joshua was saved by the bell at the end of the third round. A huge left hook sent him reeling on the ropes, stunning him, and Dubois then unleashed a vicious attack, sending him down to the canvas again.
He made it up at the bell to end the round, and passed a close examination from referee Marcus McDonnell.
But Dubois’ left hook tipped him over at the start of the fourth round. Joshua lost his leg after an undefined knockdown but he was in desperate danger.
Dubois’ left hook continued to find Joshua, but remarkably the former champion steered himself through the rest of the round.
After a frenetic start there was a hint that Dubois began to tire. The output is a touch less fierce. Joshua felt something. He roared back at Dubois for a moment in the fifth round and slammed a right. Dubois felt it but threw it back. Joshua parried the punch with a half-smile and then launched another attack, a full-force right cross to Dubois. It only took a moment to see Joshua, with his power, able to turn the tables.
But with Dubois retreating to his own corner, and Joshua walking towards him, Dubois blasted him in the chin.
It spins him away, crumpling Joshua headlong on the canvas.
No one can recover, even if Joshua tries. He tried to pick himself up, but the end was decisive. It’s over.
Wembley Stadium, the scene of Joshua’s biggest victory when he beat Wladimir Klitschko back in 2017, has become the scene of his most devastating defeat.
In front of a packed Wembley Stadium, the show was incredible.
Some of the biggest boxing stars took part, Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk watched out for potential rivals, Roberto Duran and Terence Crawford took ringside seats, Rory McIlroy, Conor McGregor and figures from other sports as well as celebrities from the world of entertainment, not least with Oasis superstar Liam Gallagher performed three songs before the main event to add to the sense of occasion.
The sound in the stadium built and built to a crescendo at the time the main event fighters made the ringwalks and the intensity just ramped up more.
But the outcome, by most outside Dubois’ team, was expected to be different.
For Joshua to win Dubois’ IBF title would make him a three-time heavyweight world champion. It would also certainly put him in prime position to fight the winner of the Oleksandr Usyk-Tyson Fury rematch in December for the undisputed champion.
That’s all torn away.
But Dubois, an unlikely heavyweight star, has usurped the spot.
Dubois will be hugely gratified to have stamped his mark on the division. The question has haunted him since losing to Joe Joyce almost four years ago.
A broken eye socket saw him take a knee and the referee’s full count then. He continues to test himself and took on a major challenge against joint champion Usyk in Poland last year. Usyk also stopped him, but Dubois has bounced back, building confidence on his wins over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic. In the process he picked up the interim IBF belt and saw that it was renewed for the full world title when Usyk’s commitment with Fury’s rematch meant that he could not make a mandatory defense.
But this victory will take him to another level, defeating the British boxing superstar at Wembley Stadium is an amazing feat.
“I have only a few words: Aren’t you entertained?” Dubois then rejoiced.
“It has come a long way, I am grateful for this position.
“I am a gladiator, I am a warrior to the bitter end. I want to reach the highest level in this game and achieve my potential.
“I’ve been on a rollercoaster ride, this is my time, this is my redemption story, and I’m not going to stop until I reach my potential.”
Admirably Joshua took the microphone shortly after the crushing defeat.
“Credit to him and the team. We rolled the dice successfully, but we came up short,” he said. “You know I’m ready to start in the ring, but I’m going to keep my cool, stay professional, and respect my opponent.
“I had sharp opponents, fast opponents and a lot of mistakes from the back, but this is the game.
“I always tell myself I’m a fighter for life… We keep rolling the dice.”