Daniel Dubois accused of landing illegal blow in Anthony Joshua fight
Daniel Dubois knocked out Anthony Joshua in the fifth round of their fight on Saturday night but the 27-year-old world champion has been accused of playing too close to the line
by Jacob Leeks · The MirrorAnthony Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn has accused Daniel Dubois of taking two illegal shots against the two-time world champion.
Joshua was knocked out by Dubois in the fifth round of their bout on Saturday night. Dubois dominated for much of the evening, with Joshua crashing down to the mat on several occasions before the decisive blow.
While he did not claim Dubois' win should be scratched out, Hearn did point to two moments where the 27-year-old played close to the line. Hearn claimed Joshua was hit twice in the 'nuts' during the third or fourth rounds.
But he also criticised Joshua for not taking the full amount of time he would have been allowed to recover. Hearn did though insist that Dubois deserved full credit for his dominant win.
"I said to him you've got to be proud you even found a way back into the fight because after the second round, for me the fight's done, it's over. Even the last knockout, he's scrambling to get up," the Matchroom boss said.
"He couldn't have tried another inch. When you do that you can look yourself in the mirror. He went all the way in the trenches. People want to take about taking a knee, spitting a gum shield out.
"Listen, when Daniel Dubois hit him in the nuts in the third or fourth round, I'm screaming at AJ to take the full five minutes. That's actually a bit of inexperience. At that point when he couldn't stand up, he's been hit full blown in the conkers.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Should Anthony Joshua retire? Comment below.
"He said to the ref 'I'm fine, let's go' and I'm like 'what are doing?' Then it happened again. He just came to fight tonight. It was a hell of fight. As gutted as we are, Daniel deserves a lot of credit.
"Tonight is his crowning night. Not being elevated to interim champion, tonight is the night he showed he is a true world champion. He's got a big future ahead of him as well."
Joshua did not mention the apparently illegal shots he took in his own post-fight media conference. Instead, much of the focus was on his future in the ring following another disappointing bout.
"Of course I still want to continue fighting. We took a shot at success and came up short. Are we going to run away now or live to fight another day? I'm a warrior. Always walk with your head up high," he said.
"We rolled the dice. That's 13 world title fights, not all of them have been successful but they've all been fun and entertaining. We want to create history for British boxing and I think we are doing that."
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Sky Sports deal
Sky Sports launches 'lowest price' Premier League package
£43 (was £52)
Sky has slashed the price of its Sky Sports, Sky Stream, Sky TV and Netflix bundle in an unbeatable new deal that saves £216 and includes 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
With Ultra HD included at no extra cost, football fans can enjoy the 2024/25 season with crystal clear picture quality.