Anthony Joshua - Daniel Dubois summary online, round by round, stats and highlights
Daniel Dubois shocks the boxing world with a sensational fifth round knockout
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Daniel Dubois is no paper tiger
When the IBF decided to strip Usyk of their heavyweight title, most people viewed it as less legitimate for the act. Filip Hrgovic faced Daniel Dubois for the vacant title and even with the knockout win, Dubois still found himself needing to make his mark on the heavyweight division. Even as champion, he was viewed as somehow the challenger.
Anthony Joshua was in the minds of many the dethroned king, on a campaign to regain lost titles and territory. Showing that his stellar career should not be defined by two losses to Oleksandr Usyk was high on the agenda of most of the boxing public. 96,000 people showed up at Wembley Stadium and that was the draw of Anthony Joshua. No other fighter in Britain, possibly in the world, could have sold that many tickets. Even Canelo topped out at 73,000 for his biggest fight.
While nobody gave him a chance, Daniel Dubois paid no mind, went out from the opening bell and took control of the fight. Dubois referred to Joshua as "holding the keys" to the heavyweight division, a gatekeeper if you will. Tonight, Dubois did the unthinkable and attacked the gate directly, knocking Joshua down three tiimes in four rounds, and finishing him off in the fifth with the sweetest short counter right you will ever see.
It was mind blowing to see Anthony Joshua taken apart so completely in that way. This is the two-time unified world champion. Every belt that he had, he took off the previous champion. He was, and remains, one of the greatest heavyweight fighters of the last twenty years. And Daniel Dubois marched through him.
So now what? For Joshua, it is almost a certainty that he will trigger the rematch clause. Without doubt or delay. People talking about retirement know nothing about the man at all. It is simply not in his nature to quit the sport.
For Daniel Dubois, the world is his oyster. He will likely do the rematch with Joshua, but negotiate a bigger cut of the pie financially, and then legitimately challenge anyone in the world. Legitimately.
Tonight may not have been a dethroned king reclaiming his regalia, but it was definitely the coronation of a new king. Long may he live.
What a performance by Daniel Dubois! That was incredible!
He came out firing from the first bell and bullied AJ around, took the fight to him, got on the front foot and stayed there. He won every round, every minute of every round, almost every exchange. If you had any questions about his legitimacy as a champion, then woner no more. Daniel Dubois is the real deal.
DUBOIS WINS BY KO!!!
AJ is unsteady on his feet but Dubois is looking a bit slower. They both throw shots and clench. AJ comes forward and lands some heavy shots. He gets animated by that and comes forward and gets caught with a heavy counter right hand! AJ is down and he is not getting up! He tries to struggle to his feet but can't get his wits about him! That is it! Daniel Dubois wins by knockout!
Dubois comes out banging and AJ goes down under the barrage! That is three times in the fight! Again he beats the count.
Another shot from Dubois and AJ goes down again! The ref looks like he is waving it off!!!! No, he is signalling no knockdown! That was confusing!
Dubois can't miss and AJ is holding on for dear life now! This is insane! Dubois is battering the former two-time unified champion, destroying him completely right now.
AJ manages to catch hold of Dubois and slow things down and in the final minute of the round Dubois is finally showing signs of getting tired. Those huge shots take it out of you in throwing them almost as much as in taking them.
Both come out trading jabs and another heavy right hand by Dubois lands clean! AJ is not out of it but he is still in trouble. A huge haymaker from Joshua is dodged by Dubois and the two settle into a kind of rhythm now. Joshua shows some defensive skill slipping an overhand right.
Dubois catches AJ with a huge shot and AJ is badly wobbled! His legs are gone! He is on the ropes and Dubois is unloading! Finally AJ goes down on the bell! Again he beats the 10 count but AJ is in real problems!
Is AJ buzzed? Is he back all the way? Dubois goes on the attack and he has AJ in all kinds of trouble! A left, a right, Dubois is all over AJ like white on rice! He won't let him up and AJ is all out of sorts!
Finally he manages to hold on and gets out of trouble for the minute. Another left hook catches AJ clean and again he holds on. That jab by Dubois is just lethal!
AJ is rocked again by another right hand but gets a counter in at the same time. He needs to take some of this fight to Dubois if he wants to turn this.
Both fighters come out looking confident and ready. They both paw away with jabs, trying to find a way in but wary of the other's power. Dubois catches AJ with a solid one-two and the crowd goes crazy!
AJ weathers it and the fight moves back to the center of the ring. Both of these men rely on heavy right hands, and are pretty much straight forward one-two punchers. Both have insane knockout power and any shot can be fatal.
AJ pokes away but leaves his chin open for a counter. So far he has not been made to pay for that but he needs to be careful.
AJ is looking for that overhand right and Dubois has been warned now for leading with the head tice.
Oh my word! A huge right hand from Dubois puts AJ down just before the bell! He gets up before the 10 count and goes back to his corner.
The fighters are in the ring and we are ready to go!
Anthony Joshua vs. Daniel Dubois [IBF heavyweight title]
What a set up! Now we move onto the main event as Anthony Joshua sets out on his comeback road, trying to make a statement with a reclamation of that IBF title that he held for so long. Standing in his way is Daniel Dubois, the current champion who is dead set on legitimizing his spot at the top of the division.
ARE YOU READY TO RUMBLE?
Michael Buffer has entered the ring and introduces the fighters as only he can.
I'll try and find a video of it to post here but do yourself a favor and watch that version of Sweet Caroline. It is insane!
Guy Richie's Sweet Caroline
I'm not making this up! A crazy Guy Richie directed short film of Sweet Caroline sung by all the boxers on tonight's bill.
Gallagher kicks off his set with Rock n Roll Star.
There's only one Michael Buffer
The legendary MC Michael Buffer takes to the ring to announce the entry of Liam Gallagher. This is something unusual for a boxing match. I mean, sure, Super Bowls have halftime shows but I've never seen a musical performance before the main event.
What an impressive showing by Hamza Sheeraz! He came out like a hurricane and left no opening for Tyler Denny. He's still undefeated and moves to the 21-0 with that win.
Hamza Sheeraz wins by KO!
Second round gets started and Danny really needs to do something here, if he can't turn the tide at the very least he needs to stamp out the fire started by Sheeraz's first round.
Danny lands a very nice right hook from the southpaw stance before opening up onto that tight guard of Sheeraz. No damage done and Sheeraz comes back with the left hook of his own.
Another shot to the body and Denny goes down and he's in real trouble! He tries to stand up on the nine count but the referee waves it off! That's it! Hamza Sheeraz is now the EBU European champion by knockout in the second round!
Hamza Sheeraz comes out in round one and immediately knocks Denny to the ground. That's not how he wanted to get his fight started. He's not hurt but he's in trouble. Sheeraz is coming out all guns blazing, and he's so tall about a foot taller than his opponent that he just has the advantage.
Denny covers but that just gives Sheeraz the opportunity to unload on him it's not the kind of opening to the bout that the European champ wanted.
Now in the final minute Denny begins to let some of his shots go. Most of them land on the guard of Sheeraz, but at least he's throwing back.
Tyler Denny vs. Hamza Sheeraz [EBU European middleweight title]
And now the co-main event as Tyler Denny defends his EBU European middleweight title aganst Hamza Sheeraz.
Oh my God! I'm not sure what to say about that. While I have nothing but respect for what Hutchinson just did I can't see how two 10-8 rounds and a point deduction can give you a win. That just seems insane.
The right man won but that's a controversial card.
AND THE NEW: Joshua Buatsi wins by SD
The judges saw it as:
113-112 Hutchinson
117-108 Buatsi
115-110 Buatsi
in favor of Joshua Buatsi who becomes the WBO interim light heavyweight champion.
This is the final round and both of these men are absolute warriors, and both look as if they're ready to go out on their shields. If Hutchinson has taken the rocky role, then Buatsi is a very willing Apollo Creed.
They stand and trade, Hutchinson is having good success here. Buatsi’s coming back with his own responses but he is just too exhausted to end it. Hutchinson still looks a little fresher then Buatsi, and manages to turn him, landing some very nice shots.
The round enters its final 30 seconds and they're still pounding away on each other. What a fight!
Hutchinson definitely won this round and did some excellent work through that bout, but I just fear that there's two knockdowns in that point deduction will be too much for him to overcome when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Buatsi comes out and starts working, laying wonderful shots to the body, and when Hutchinson’s hands dropped down bringing them back upstairs. You have to love Hutchinson’s heart. He's a true warrior. But Buatsi is just having his way with him right now.
As has been the case throughout the fight the tide turns again, and Hutchinson comes forward landing a nice right and another three punch combo. Nobody is ever out of this fight!
Hutchinson may need the knockout because of those two knockdowns and that point deduction, but this is a case where on paper this fight may be much closer than it looks.
It's almost miraculous that Hutchinson is still in this fight, but he comes out and throws a huge right hand. He's not giving up yet. He jumps in with a huge left uppercut that just catches Buatsi clean! This fight's not over yet!
Buatsi starts landing huge shots to the face, left uppercut, right cross, three, four! And as he goes for a huge one, he misses and flies halfway through the ropes!
That break allows Hutchinson back into the fight, but there was a brief moment there where it looked like it might have been stopped.
Buatsi comes out pounding away Hutchinson covers up and looks to be in some trouble. But then no! He switches it up and starts throwing his hands! Now it's Buatsi’s turn to cover up and survive! What a great back and forth fight!
Both men here look absolutely exhausted, and to be fair to them they're both throwing thunderous shots, pounding away at the ribs and the heads. They're both leaning on each other and throw in shots, but it's Buatsi who's really getting more shots in and landing heavier on the ribs. Hutchinson is really looking exhausted here.
And with 20 seconds left, one of those heavy body shots drops Hutchinson yet again! He beats the 10 count, but he is in real trouble! He makes it to the end of the round, but my oh my! He just collapses onto the stool!
This is becoming an interesting contest. I had them pretty much neck and neck and then that knocked down changed everything. Hutchinson's responded very well and looked to be on the way to winning that last round before getting a point deducted. That's going to put Buatsi well ahead.
Buatsi gets Hutchinson onto the ropes and starts throwing shots and hits Hutchinson in the back of the head, not for the first time in this fight it should be said, but yet still draws absolutely no rebuke from the referee.
The round is temporarily paused as the lights over the ring go out. They come back on and he restarts the round. The final 10 seconds tick by without incident.
Buatsi is directly onto the attack, trying to make the most of that advantage that he got at the end of the previous round. Hutchinson is still not yet fully back, and is gulping air against the ropes. Now Hutchinson lands a good hard right hand and turns the tables! He jumps onto Buatsi and as he goes forward their heads clash. Referee calls time and deducts a point from Hutchinson! He clearly saw that as a deliberate head butt! Ohh that could be fatal for Hutchinson’s chances of winning this. He was levelling things up and then had a 10-8 round in the last round, and now with the points deduction, oh this could be terrible for Hutchinson.
Buatsi throws a low shot and as Hutchinson comes back in, a huge right hand from Buatsi lands flush.
A lovely left hook from Hutchinson starts the round off and Buatsi is still a little bit sluggish. That great start that Buatsi had is in danger of slipping away as Hutchinson seems to be warming into the fight. He's definitely won the last round and I have him 3-2 down. But if Buatsi doesn't wake up he could certainly level this fight.
And as if on cue Buatsi comes alive! He throws a flurry of punches and the big right cross sends Hutchinson to the mat! Hutchinson gets up before the 10 count and gets back in it but that was a huge moment from Josh Buatsi!
Buatsi looks to be in control here stick in that double jab into Hutchinson’s face. Hutchinson is moving around switching stances orthodox then southpaw then back to orthodox again, looking for an opening. Both fighters seem to have slowed slightly.
Buatsi comes in slow and Hutchinson lands a three punch combo that seems to have Buatsi a little bit winded. Hutchinson then reaches up with that paw and lands three consecutive right hooks to the face. That's actually a very good round from Hutchinson.
Buatsi comes straight out with a stiff jab that snaps hutchinson's head back. He's following that jab with a little short right uppercut to the ribs and it kind of gives you the sense that he's not necessarily going for the knockout but look into just where Hutchinson down.
Hutchinson turns things and lands a big heavy right hand that seems to slow Buatsi. He now lands another little combination, always trying to get that heavy right hand on to the ribs.
Buatsi comes in with that double jab again, but this time eats a lovely right cross from Hutchinson.
The stars are really out tonight as between rounds the stadium camera shows such names as Tyson Fury, Conor Benn and the great Roberto Duran. Hands of stone. Outstanding!
As the third gets started Buatsi stays on the front foot. That little nick on Hutchinson’s eye is starting to trickle a little bit more. And his right eye is beginning to show some swelling, a few signs of damage.
Buatsi is really aggressive here, staying on the gas foot to the floor. Hutchinson is not by any means out of the fight, he's throwing shots back, but they're not at all as heavy as Buatsi’s shots.
Hutchinson switched to southpaw and now lands a beautiful left hook to the body that absolutely freezes Buatsi.
Hutchinson comes out very nice in the second round really sticking some hard shots onto Buatsi. Ohh boy! Buatsi comes in very low and throws a left hook to the body following it with a huge right cross that just caught Hutchinson flush! My word that was enormous! Hutchinson manages to recover and get out of trouble but he just ate an absolute hammer blow.
This is the danger of Buatsi. He's just got such power from all kinds of explosive angles.
This has given Buatsi an extra gust of wind in his sails. He marches forward sticking that jab working behind it and pushing Hutchinson into the ropes. He goes from jab to left uppercut. Another double jab and follows it with that right cross again. This is good work from Buatsi.
Round one and both come out looking to stick it to the other. Buatsi lands two nice jabs and Hutchinson ties him up.
Now it's Hutchinson’s turn to land a really lovely jab, snapping Buatsi’s head back. Both men clinch again, and as they come apart it looks as if there's a trickle of blood on Hutchinson’s left eye. That is probably from a head clash.
Joshua Buatsi vs. Willy Hutchinson [WBO interim light heavyweight title]
Now it is time for another great title fight as Joshua Buatsi takes on Willy Hutchinson for the vacant WBO interim light heavyweight title. Buatsi is the British and Commonwealth light heavyweight champion and this could be his welcome to the world stage. But Scotland's Willy Hutchinson is confident that he will take the belt tonight.
Josh Warrington retires?
Josh Warrington has now taken off his gloves and ceremoniously laid them in the middle of the ring. He's taken some pictures and this looks as if he may be retiring. If so this could be the end of an outstanding career. Josh Warrington has brought some amazing bouts to British shores. The former featherweight champion has had an amazing career, and if indeed this is the end all we can do is tip our hats and say thank you for all of the entertainment and joy that you've given us over the years Josh Warrington.
AND STILL: Anthony Cacace wins by UD
The judges see it as:
1:18 to 1:10
1:17 to 1:11
1:17 to 1:11
all for Anthony Cacace, who retains the IBF and IBO super featherweight titles. The judges had it a little wider than I did but the right man won the fight.
By my own scorecard I make that 116 to 114 in favor of Cacace. I think that Josh Warrington did a lot of good work on the inside and there was a moment in those middle rounds where it looked as if his tactic might pay off. He had Cacace all at sea, and really trying to figure it out. But figure it out he did and as Warrington drew near, Cacace pulled ahead the gap was just too wide to overcome.
Of course, the only opinion that matters is the three judges at ringside. Let's see what they had to say about it.
This is the final round and by my score Warrington needs a knockout in order to win. He's just let too many rounds slip away. Warrington has always been in the fight every single round, but when Cacace figured out how to keep him out at arm’s length, some of those middle rounds just slipped away and it's taken him too long to get back into it.
Warrington is still doing great work on the inside and still Cacace is coming in with those short right hands, but that short inside work is just not helping Warrington right now.
Cacace lands a nice left hook that sends Warrington to the mat, but referee Howard Foster rules that it was a slip. No knock down. But that is the end of all of the momentum at Warrington could muster.
Cacace comes forward now, maybe a little bit blindly, and Warrington catches him with a nice left hook. Warrington is still trying to slip and work low he goes in and then some great shots to the ribs of the champ. But Cacace still has a sting in his tail as he catches Warrington with a beautiful left hook as the Leeds man tries to come inside again.
Cacace whiffs badly with a left hook and then a right hook as Warrington comes back and works the body again. This is what he needs to do if he wants to claw his way back into this.
A beautiful left hook from Warrington stops Cacace in his tracks.
Into the championship rounds here now, and Warrington has a lot of work to do. I think that he still has to look for that knockout, see if that body work will pay dividends. I've got Warrington down three rounds to six, but of course the only people who really count are the ringside judges. But if I'm anything like right, then Warrington has to win all three of these rounds to have any sort of chance in a points decision.
Warrington is still trying to take that fight inside and throw in when they're in the clinch. This draws a warning from Howard Foster for hitting in the back of the head. Warrington has a great engine and I think all of that body work is trying to bet the house that Cacace won't be able to keep up with him. There are some signs that Cacace is beginning to tire, but not nearly enough to throw the fight in any direction. A cut opens up on Cacace’s left eyebrow.
Cacace has pulled out to a healthy lead in this one, despite Warrington’s good work on the inside, a lot of that has been nullified over the past 3 or 4 rounds by Cacace.
Warrington is still trying to get inside and do that work, find out where all that early success was and replicate it. But Cacace just kind of has his number. The champ has a great tactic of every time Warrington gets inside, he's tying him up, forcing referee Howard Foster to break them apart.
Warrington comes in close again and Cacace throws and peach of a short right. Warrington has a great chin, but he definitely felt that.
Cacace’s having a lot of success here, looking as if he has timed Warrington and got those moves into a rhythm. This is not where Warrington wants to be caught in the middle. He's neither on the outside out of range, nor is he fully on the inside where he seems to be bringing the fight nicely to Cacace. In this mid range, the champ has the advantage.
As long as Cacace can keep Warrington from working inside he should be able to take these rounds. He's the bigger man, the stronger man, with the size advantage and a longer reach.
Warrington is able to get inside and lands a sweet left hook. Cacace seems a little undone and Warrington goes back to work on the body doing some good work again. I don't feel that it was enough though I think Cacace took that round.
Cacace throws several nice jabs but Warrington slips all of them, landing a nice jab of his own. Good movement forward by Warrington, again avoiding the jab and getting inside before landing a left hook upstairs and then going downstairs yet again working that body nicely. Cacace lands a very nice right uppercut to stop the attack.
They both go to work on the inside and each land nice punches, but Cacace’s are a little more powerful.
Cacace come straight out and on to the attack, perhaps thinking that Warrington is ready to go and looking to land that knockout shot. Warrington is covering well, dipping and moving and doing lots of great work on the body. Cacace is the bigger fighter and it looks as if he's perhaps betting on his size and power to end this quickly, but Warrington is an old soldier. He's been on campaign before and this ain't his first rodeo.
All of this body work that Warrington is doing, if he can survive this assault and get through into the championship rounds, he might have Cacace wide open and ready to fall.
Another shot to the back of the head draws another rebuke from referee Howard Foster.
Warrington did well in that round, with lots of good body work and may have just about nicked it.
Cacace Is now on the front foot with a bit of momentum behind him. Two decent rounds but he needs to be careful that he doesn't walk on to something from Warrington. Cacace is the seventh world champion that Warrington has faced, so he's not at all concerned about the level of competition.
This round has settled with Cacace looking as if he may have figured out some of the slips and dips that Warrington has been using to get inside. He is able to avoid them and when he does it he wraps him up and moves the fight back out. Cacace lands a huge right hand! Warrington is in trouble here! He manages to wrap Cacace up and slow the assault. Another great round from Cacace.
Cacace Comes out aggressive try and perhaps to press Warrington, get in and then get out. Warrington is doing great body work again, but Cacace catches him with a really great right hand and follows it with a hook. Warrington seems incapable of backing up.
Every time Cacace gets in close and lands a shot, Warrington backs out momentarily and then charges back in. His horizontal movement is great, and he's able to get beyond the jab and get inside.
Cacace now lands an amazing right hand and buzzes Warrington! He goes in and tries to step on the gas throw in both hands, and as Warrington dips and slips he gets caught in the back of the head. The ref breaks them apart and gives Cacace a warning for that shot. That could be a blessing for Warrington. A much better round out of Cacace.
Warrington opens it up with a very nice left hook, catching Cacace cleanly. Cacace has taken the center of the ring trying to keep Warrington outside, but the former featherweight champ knows that he needs to get inside and is staying away from those long jabs and moving very nicely on his way in.
Warrington looks very sharp slipping very nicely getting inside and landing a very nice left hook and right uppercut. Very good body work from Warrington here. Cacace is looking a little bit sluggish finding it hard to get his shots off. It's possible that Warrington may have flummoxed him a little bit here. Cacace switches to southpaw and then quickly back to orthodox. Warrington stays on the inside, another nice round from him.
This is a step up in wait for Warrington, and it could be asking a lot of him. Cacace is the naturally bigger man, and rangy to boot. Those long wings that he sticks out there in your face pack a bit of power behind them.
Warrington is moving nicely side to side trying to get inside that jab of Cacace. A nice right cross catches him flush, and Warrington now goes to work on the inside throwing some very nice shots to the body, doing good work here.
Cacace is in a little bit of trouble here he's allowed Warrington to bring the fight to the inside and that's not where he does his best work. Warrington has the advantage when he's in there. A very good round from Warrington, things could be even here.
Warrington comes out firing quickly in the first round straight onto the front foot. Cacace It's too quick for him backing away out of trouble. Warrington expends a lot of energy Cacace moves forward taking the center of the ring and trying to get on the front foot. Oh! Cacace lands an exciting jab! Snapping Warrington’s head back!
Warrington tries to regroup covering and moving, but Cacace is really quick, turning him and coming back with a big right hand. Good round by both men, but I think the champ may have gotten the better of him.
Anthony Cacace vs. Josh Warrington [IBF and IBO super featherweight title]
Put away those morsels, now it is time for the main course! We kick it off with Anthony Cacace defending his IBF and IBO super featherweight titles against Josh Warrington.
Cacace tore up the script when he won the titles by dismantling Joe Cordina. Warrington is trying to put his career back together after back to back losses, but the former IBF featherweight champion has the experience and ring IQ to make things difficult in there.
Preliminary results
Mark Chamberlain vs. Josh Padley [super lightweight]
This was the third undefeated fighter in a row that Padley faced and he asked some important questions of Chamberlain in the early rounds, keeping the Portsmouth man on the back foot and looking a little befuddled by the assault. A cut opened on Chamberlain’s right eye through an accidental head clash added to the cocktail of confusion. In the later rounds, it looked as if Chamberlain had settled into the fight and win some rounds when he was dropped in the eighth by a crushing left hook from Padley. A point deduction in the ninth for Chamberlain left him in dire need of a knockout to win, something that would not come and when the judges scored it 95-93, 96-92, 96-92 Mark Chamberlain became the third previously undefeated fighter in a row, and by far the biggest scalp, to fall to Josh Padley who moves to 15-0. Keep an eye on this young man!
Ishmael Davis vs. Josh Kelly [middleweight]
Josh Kelly was all set for Liam Smith when Ishmael Davis stepped in due to illness on just six days’ notice. At 13-0, Davis is scheduled to face Uisma Lima for the IBF Intercontinental Super Welterweight belt next month, so isn’t a complete ringer. Kelly was on top of his game though and while Davis was game, even taking a round or two and rocking Kelly seriously in the 12th, the superior stick-and-move tactics of Kelley saw him take a decisive lead on the way to a majority points win, 114-114, 115-113, 115-114.
Prelims underway
The preliminary bouts are now underway with the first bout of the evening a 10-round super lightweight contest between Mark Chamberlain and Josh Padley. The favorite fighter of His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, Mark Chamberlain takes on an undefeated 14-0 Josh Padley from Doncaster, England. Chamberlain opened eyes worldwide when he joined the Joshua Ngannou card. Even his own promoter was unsure exactly who he was, but eyes were opened immediately about this former plasterer from Portsmouth, England.
Undercard previews
What was originally a tasty undercard has been blunted somewhat through late replacements. But there are still some great names putting on a show tonight and fighters to keep your eye on.
Ishmael Davis vs. Josh Kelly [middleweight]
Josh Kelly, set to defend his WBO International Super Welterweight title, faces a surprise opponent in Ishmael Davis after Liam Smith pulls out due to illness. Davis, undefeated at 13-0 with six knockouts, steps in on short notice. It’s a risky move for the 29-year-old, especially with an upcoming IBF title shot against Uisma Lima hanging in the balance. Meanwhile, Kelly’s 15-1-1 record tells a story of resilience. The 2016 Olympian has eight knockouts to his name, though his lone loss via knockout three years ago still looms large. This fight is crucial for both, with Davis potentially jeopardizing his future plans and Kelly aiming to keep his momentum going.
Joshua Buatsi vs. Willy Hutchinson [WBO interim light heavyweight title]
Joshua Buatsi squares off against former sparring partner Willy Hutchinson in a Light Heavyweight showdown. Buatsi, with an unblemished 18-0 record and 13 knockouts, is a proven powerhouse out of Croydon. Hutchinson, who boasts an 18-1 record with 13 knockouts, hails from Carstairs and is eager to settle old scores. Both fighters have hinted at bad blood from their sparring days, with Hutchinson boldly claiming he’ll "punch absolute holes" in Buatsi, dismissing his opponent as less awkward than previous foe Craig Richards. The animosity is mutual, with Buatsi recalling past training sessions where he dominated Hutchinson. This bout is personal, with both men fighting for more than just victory.
Mark Chamberlain vs. Josh Padley [super lightweight]
At 135 pounds, Mark Chamberlain faces off against Josh Padley in what promises to be a clash of unbeaten records. Chamberlain, 25, comes in with an impeccable 16-0 record and 12 knockouts, while Padley, 28, holds a 14-0 record with four knockouts. Chamberlain, a former construction worker, aims to continue his rise in front of a massive home crowd, while Padley sees this fight as his moment to break into the bigger leagues. Both fighters are hungry, and with their unblemished records on the line, neither will want to leave it in the judges' hands.
Tyler Denny vs. Hamza Sheeraz [EBU European middleweight title]
Tyler Denny puts his European Middleweight title on the line against Hamzah Sheeraz in what could be a career-defining moment for both. Denny, 33, is riding a six-fight win streak with a 19-1 record, though he has only one knockout to his name. He’s determined to not just fight at Wembley but to win there, calling it the "main thing." On the other side, Sheeraz is undefeated at 20-0 with a fearsome 16 knockouts, including 14 straight stoppages. Sheeraz thrives under pressure and vows to "turn up and get the knockout," aiming to add another victim to his knockout streak while taking Denny’s belt in the process.
Anthony Cacace vs. Josh Warrington [IBF and IBO super featherweight title]
Finally, Anthony Cacace defends his IBF Super Featherweight title against a determined Josh Harrington. Cacace, fighting out of Belfast, brings an impressive 22-1 record with eight knockouts into the ring. The 35-year-old southpaw isn’t shy about predicting an "absolute war" from start to finish. Harrington, a former IBF Featherweight champion, boasts a solid 31-3 record and is desperate to reclaim championship glory. Both fighters have a lot at stake, and with Cacace’s dual belts on the line, this promises to be a battle neither man can afford to lose.
Set list
Here is the set list, directly from the man himself.
ROCK N ROLL STAR
SUPERSONIC
CIGS n ALCOHOL
Liam Gallagher to perform on his birthday
The fight is the thing, but the performance by Liam Gallagher is huge for this event. And on his birthday too!
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The IBF World Heavyweight title is on the line and while everyone is expecting the return of AJ, there are those who back Dubois. Read the whole story here.
All week there have been rumblings that Don Charles and Daniel Dubois’ camp had fallen out, but the champ squashes all speculation. Read the whole story here.
Here’s how the prize money is set to be split for the upcoming Joshua vs Dubois fight.
The Full Card
Anthony Joshua vs. Daniel Dubois [IBF heavyweight title]
Tyler Denny vs. Hamza Sheeraz [EBU European middleweight title]
Anthony Cacace vs. Josh Warrington [IBF and IBO super featherweight title]
Ishmael Davis vs. Josh Kelly [middleweight]
Joshua Buatsi vs. Willy Hutchinson [WBO interim light heavyweight title]
Mark Chamberlain vs. Josh Padley [super lightweight]
The main undercard is set to get underway at 11am ET / 8am PT.
Tale of the tape
Daniel Dubois
Age: 27
Country: United Kingdom
Stance: Orthodox
Height: 6ft 5in
Reach: 78”
Record: 21-2-0
Anthony Joshua
Age: 34
Country: United Kingdom
Stance: Orthodox
Height: 6ft 6in
Reach: 82”
Record: 28-3-0
WELCOME!!!
Welcome to Diario AS USA’s live coverage of the IBF World Heavyweight title bout between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois at the cathedral of soccer, Wembley Stadium in London, England.
Tonight, the buzz in this hallowed stadium is electric, but it is not for soccer. Instead, a record crowd of 96,000 people will fill the stands to see the clash between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois in a heavyweight title fight that could signal either a changing of the guard or the triumphant return of the king in exile.
Joshua is no stranger to big moments under the great arch. His stellar win over Wladimir Klitschko in 2017 drew 90,000 fans, at the time a remarkable figure for Wembley and one of the largest crowds in British boxing history.
Coming off a thunderous knockout of Francis Ngannou, Joshua gave us glimpses of the old dominant king of the division as he continues his journey back to the top, trying to recapture the form that once made him the unified heavyweight champion.
His opponent, Dubois bounced back from a 2020 loss to Joe Joyce with a string of knockout victories, only falling to Oleksandr Usyk at their meeting after a controversial bout in which a low blow saved Usyk’s bacon.
The heavyweight division is in a state of flux at the moment. Usyk is the undisputed king of the class, with this IBF belt only landing in Dubois’ hands after it was taken off the Ukrainian for not giving Filip Hrgovic a shot. But below him, the old names have all been systematically taken apart.
Usyk beat Joshua twice and Tyson Fury once with their rematch coming in December. Deontay Wilder, for so long a force in the division, was completely undone by first Fury and then Joseph Parker before Zhilei Zhang put an exclamation point on it. Joshua himself, once king of the division, is on the outside trying to fight his way back to the top. And in all of this, Daniel Dubois is knocking at the door.
There is no doubt that the top echelon of the heavyweight division is guarded by a gatekeeper, and Dubois sees that gatekeeper as Anthony Joshua. He is the one big name who can still draw a crowd, still challenge at the top level, and still threaten to take back his old regalia. The fight was sold out in the first 24 hours. That tells you just what an appetite the boxing public has for an Anthony Joshua fight.
And don’t underestimate the power of that crowd. To put it in perspective, the 96,000 fans in attendance aren’t just setting a boxing record. This figure surpasses most major sporting events worldwide. The Champions League final between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid earlier this year drew just over 86,000 spectators. In Spain’s La Liga, when giants like Real Madrid and Barcelona clash at the Santiago Bernabéu, the crowd is just over 81,000. Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium was played out in front of 61,200 fans. Tonight’s crowd is immense, and no doubt about it.