Daniel Dubois stunned Anthony Joshua with a fifth-round knockout victory to retain the IBF world heavyweight title at Wembley Stadium; Joshua was knocked down four times in total; Frank Warren: "They can have it [a rematch] if they want it anyway. I don't have a problem with that"
Monday 23 September 2024 16:30, UK
Frank Warren has confirmed that while Daniel Dubois is not contracted to take a rematch with Anthony Joshua, the promoter would still welcome a second fight.
While Warren said there was no rematch clause in Joshua's contract for Saturday's showdown, he added: "They can have it if they want it anyway. I don't have a problem with that."
But that is not the only possibility for Dubois' next move.
"There's loads of options. We're blessed in the UK. I think we've got the best heavyweights in the UK," Warren said.
"We've got Tyson [Fury]. We've got Daniel here now doing what he's doing. We've got young Moses [Itauma] coming through and all these other guys. There's some brilliant fights to be made, some great domestic bouts to be made."
Joshua was floored multiple times in a blistering display from Dubois before finally being stopped by an explosive right hand in the fifth round.
The decisive moment had arrived just seconds after Joshua thought he had made a breakthrough by wobbling Dubois, who stunned Wembley by countering emphatically to send the former unified world champion tumbling to the canvas.
In doing so, Dubois cemented his credentials as IBF world heavyweight champion while celebrating the biggest win of his career in front of a 96,000 sell-out crowd.
"I think he [Joshua] will exercise that rematch clause, I think that's a given," Matchroom CEO Hearn suggested immediately after the fight. "He'll need a rest and it's a dangerous fight, this guy is growing in confidence all the time.
"He'll believe he can hurt Dubois, he'll believe he can beat him. But full credit to Daniel Dubois, he deserves all the credit, it was a great performance."
Speaking in the post-fight press conference, Hearn clarified his fighter's position regarding a rematch.
"We have another fight with Riyadh Season and Turki Alalshikh and Daniel Dubois is part of that plan, but so too could be Tyson Fury or another heavyweight," said Hearn.
"I think that 2025 is going to be an interesting year for Anthony Joshua, one way or another, but he will definitely be back and whether it's against Daniel Dubois, Tyson Fury, whoever, you're going to be entertained."
Joshua was knocked down in the opening round with a thunderous overhand right from Dubois, never quite recovering as he endured wave after wave of punishment amid a raucous Wembley atmosphere.
"It was the first round, after that he was fighting on heart and desire. I'm so proud because he never gave up, his legs were deceiving him and he kept on trying," said Hearn.
"When you are in there with a massive puncher this is what can happen. He never stopped trying to get up, even when he couldn't get up at the end.
"Daniel deserves credit, he's a real world champion. Congratulations to him."
Joshua was magnanimous in defeat as he offered praise to Dubois after a career-best performance, vowing to return again.
"Credit to him and his team. We rolled the dice of success, but we came up short," said Joshua in his post-fight interview.
"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."
Defeat for Joshua casts further question marks over the prospect of a meeting with Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, who will face off in a rematch in Saudi Arabia later this year.
Dubois, still just 27-years-old, will also have his sights set on Usyk as he looks for payback from his own defeat to the Ukrainian great.
