Daniel Dubois is targeting a rematch with Oleksandr Usyk after defending his IBF world heavyweight title with a devastating five-round win over Anthony Joshua on Saturday night at Wembley.
On a card where Joshua was expected to join an elite club of three-time world champions in front of a British record 96,000 crowd it was Dubois instead who announced his arrival at the very highest level.
The Greenwich fighter, 27, lost to Usyk last year in controversial circumstances and says he is determined to avenge that defeat by the Ukrainian, who holds the three other world heavyweight belts.
“I did the business and I’m glad I proved everyone wrong. But this is just the start of my journey. I want to get my rematch [against Usyk] and put that wrong right,” said Dubois.
“The Lord had my back tonight and I had my family around me. I couldn’t be denied. He [Joshua] could have thrown everything at me and I would have come through it. It felt like a dream in the ring. I just had to seize the moment.
“It was going to be my night, by any means necessary. They were all saying I was going to get knocked out but we all saw who got knocked out.”
Usyk, who was ringside at Wembley, is due to defend his titles against Tyson Fury in December, while Joshua is gunning for a rematch with Dubois as he insists his brutal loss will not mark the end of his career in the ring.
“Of course I want to continue fighting,”said Joshua, who has now lost four of his last 10 fights.
“We took a shot at success and we came up short. What does that mean now? That we’re going to run away? We’re going to live to fight another day.”
“I’m a warrior. Always walk with your head high. We rolled the dice for the third time. There have been 13 world-title fights, not every one of them has been successful but every one has been fun and entertaining.
“There were a few mistakes in there but that’s the name of the game. Fine margins will cost you at the top level.”
Joshua, 34, never recovered from being dropped in the first round by juddering overhand right and Dubois knocked him down several more times before splaying him out on the canvas with a stunning counterpunch.
Anthony Joshua was counted out after a brutal counterpunch from Daniel Dubois in the fifth round
Oleksandr Usyk was ringside at Wembley and is in Daniel Dubois’s sights after beating Anthony Joshua