Daniel Dubois has sensationally knocked out Anthony Joshua within five rounds to retain his IBF heavyweight title in front of 96,000 fans at Wembley Stadium.
Having been elevated to champion status through winning the interim belt versus Filip Hrgovic in June, there was a feeling that Dubois had not necessarily proven himself on the world stage.
However, that is no longer in doubt, the 27-year-old denotating a humongous right hand on Joshua's chin towards the end of the first round that dictated the remainder of an absorbing contest.
Joshua deserves credit for staying competitive as long as he did, having also been heavily dropped at the end of the third, and he somehow threatened to turn the tables in a fight where he had largely been on the back foot.
When he hurt Dubois with a right hand in the fifth, there was a sense that the pendulum was swinging and that the end may be nigh for Dubois, who was visibly blowing at the end of the fourth.
© Imago
Within no more than 15 seconds, though, Joshua had walked onto a mammoth right hand from Dubois that send him tumbling to the canvas, with his body completely out of his control as he valiantly bid to rise to his feet.
Even had he made the count, trainer Ben Davison had raced across the ring to save Joshua from himself, with Dubois left to celebrate an iconic victory that will stand the test of time in the modern-day era.
"I'm a gladiator"
Dubois may have been found wanting on the big stage in the past, but this was a performance that will legitimise his standing on a world level for the remainder of his career.
Awkward as ever, Dubois addressed the packed crowd after his seismic moment, querying whether the crowd had been 'left entertained' by his performance.
He said: "I've only got a few things to say, are you not entertained?! It's been a journey and I'm grateful to be in this position. I'm a gladiator, I'm a warrior until the bitter end.
"I want to get to the top of this sport and reach my full potential. Behind the scenes, the work with my dad. I've been on a rollercoaster run, this is my time, this is my redemption story. I'm not going to stop until I reach my full potential."
DOWN GOES AJ 💥#RiyadhSeasonCard: Wembley Edition #JoshuaDubois | Live NOW on https://t.co/FoiaUucafv: Click link in bio to buy | @Turki_alalshikh pic.twitter.com/0iII0lQUOx
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) September 21, 2024
Meanwhile, Joshua was left frustrated with his display, the shot that registered in the first round arguably a case of complacency rather than being out-skilled by his younger opponent.
He said: "We came up short as a team. You know I'm ready to kick off in the ring but I'm going to keep it respectful.
"Before I came here, I always say to myself I'm a fighter for life. You keep rolling the dice. I had a fast and sharp opponent, a lot of mistakes from my end."
While there will be a debate over whether Joshua should retire, he holds the right to trigger a rematch clause should he so wish.
