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Dubois vs Joshua: Riyadh Season - Wembley Edition
Read time 5-6 mins
The heavyweight title fight between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois on September 21, 2024, at Wembley Stadium was a significant event in British boxing, drawing a record crowd of 96,000 fans, that will go down in history as one of the most gripping and entertaining fights in modern Britain. Officially, the fight was for the IBF World Heavyweight Title but unofficially, it represented Anthony Joshua's quest to reclaim his status and Daniel Dubois's effort to establish his legitimacy as a world champion.
The demands of the public to witness this clash of titans firsthand were overwhelming, which necessitated His Excellency Turki bin Abdul Mohsen Al-AlShaikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, to make a request to Wembley Stadium to increase its capacity; such is AJ’s draw among the British.
Being British I have always supported Anthony Joshua and his boxing ambitions. As a late bloomer in boxing he captured the hearts of many. However, after witnessing his rise and falls over the years, along with the reality that age is no longer his ally, coupled with Dubois’ performances of late, I felt there might just be a new British contender in town, with the minerals to do a number on Joshua. For Dubois to legitimise his position in the boxing world I felt his game plan had to maintain a consistent theme of showing no respect to his accomplished opponent. He had to use his jab and get on the inside and close AJ down. Conversely, Joshua needed to come out strong and control the fight with his own jab and maintain distance.
From the start of the fight, Dubois came out on the front foot, quickly establishing his jab whilst showing no respect to his opponent. He applied pressure, forcing AJ to move and you could see he intended to control the pace and distance from the very start. Both men threw some solid punches but seconds away from the end of the first round, Dubois landed a powerful overhand right that knocked Joshua to the canvas and stunned the crowd. Joshua managed to beat the count but appeared unsteady, struggling to regain his footing as the bell rang. What a start to the fight; the crowd was gripped!
The beginning of the second round saw both fighters attempt to assert their dominance, however, Joshua didn’t look as though he had recovered from the knock down in the first round and within seconds found himself on the back foot. Dubois quickly applied pressure, landing a flurry of blows that went unanswered and had AJ moving clumsily around the ring. There was so much time left of the round that I thought it would be over for Joshua before the bell rang, but to Joshua’s credit, he demonstrated his experience and resilience, managing to absorb some heavy blows and clinching to stay in the fight.
As the third round began, Joshua had managed to regain some of his composure, looking more stable on his feet, aiming to establish his jab to control the distance and set up his powerful right hand. However, Dubois had different plans and rapidly asserted his dominance with a powerful shot. In a critical moment, whilst maintaining his aggressive approach, Dubois pressed forward, closing AJ down with powerful shots until Aj stumbled like a drunk and touched his gloves to the floor. Although not ruled a knock down, for reasons that elude me, this act demonstrated AJ’s vulnerability. At this point Dubois released a flurry of punches that left Joshua, not only pinned but also half sat, on the ropes for what seemed like an eternity. He eventually connected with a shot and sent AJ to the canvas a second before the bell rang. The referee started counting and the crowd roared in delight as they witnessed AJ rise to his knees and then to his feet in a display of champion spirit. At this point I found my respect and admiration for both fighters, albeit for different reasons, growing. AJ insisted he was able and wanted to continue the fight.
Within seconds of the bell ringing for the fourth, Dubois capitalised on his earlier successes and landed a powerful punch that sent Joshua crashing to the canvas. Joshua managed to rise, only to fall again moments later; however, this time the referee deemed it a slip. Dubois then went to work on Joshua but landed a low blow, not visibly affecting Joshua, and both fighters took a moment to breathe. As they came together again, Dubois continued his relentless assault on a destabilised AJ, who, although not landing many meaningful strikes, demonstrated incredible warrior spirit.
As the fifth round began, both fighters came out aggressively, eager to land significant punches. Dubois initially gained the upper hand, putting AJ on the defensive. However, Joshua suddenly landed a powerful right hand that appeared to stun Dubois. Sensing an opportunity, AJ went in for the kill, attempting to deliver heavy right hands. In his haste though, he was caught by Dubois's shorter right and was dropped for the final time in this epic bout. His attempts to rise and continue the fight were nothing short of admirable, but ultimately, it wasn’t meant to be.
By the end of the fight, Dubois had successfully defended his IBF heavyweight title, thereby legitimizing himself as a world champion and leaving Anthony Joshua’s future in a precarious position as he faced his fourth professional defeat. Throughout the match, it was evident that Joshua hadn’t fully recovered from the first-round knockdown. Consequently, with slower legs, he had to rely on his heart—something he demonstrated he possesses in abundance—but heart alone was not enough to secure victory. This should not detract from Dubois's success; on the contrary, it was a sterling performance by the fighter.
With the upcoming Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury fight in December, we could be poised for a title unification bout. In addition to being a skilled heavy hitter, Dubois has demonstrated he has the potential to become a people's champion. He showcased his strong personality when he shouted, “Are you not entertained?” from the ring just after the fight concluded, causing Wembley Stadium to erupt in applause. This was truly a remarkable boxing spectacle and the best installment of the Riyadh Season to date. For anyone questioning whether contemporary fighters still possess heart, this match has resoundingly affirmed that the spirit of determination and resilience remains alive and well in the ring. Watching it has indeed fuelled my passion for boxing. I extend my gratitude to His Excellency Turki bin Abdul Mohsen Al-AlShaikh for making this fight happen, and I eagerly anticipate watching Dubois’s next bout. Let’s hope it’s for a unified title shot!