Anthony Joshua’s nightmare defeat against Daniel Dubois raises a crucial question for him

Anthony Joshua crashed to the mat during a devastating fifth round, his world turned upside down by Daniel Dubois' effortless power, compounding a nightmare evening and leaving him with a crucial decision to make. The aftermath of that dramatic evening in London is still unknown, but Joshua's future is more uncertain and intriguing than ever.

Yes, he's been hurt and knocked out before, by Andy Ruiz in another earthquake in 2019; he's even been outclassed twice by Oleksandr Usyk. But never before has he been dominated to a comprehensive and painful end within seconds of the first bell. His fourth career loss, which robbed him of a chance against Usyk to become undisputed champion and put a meeting with Tyson Fury in jeopardy, was inflicted by none other than another champion.

And that bears emphasis, as so many have scoffed at and forgotten that significant status. The man with the belt went first that night. Dubois was promoted this summer without throwing a single angry punch in the ring, yet here he took the opportunity to cement his position, defending his IBF heavyweight title over five one-sided rounds before delivering one of the most devastating counters in the history of the heavyweight division.

Everyone knew Dubois was going hard, but Joshua was unsettled within 30 seconds, allowing Dubois to charge in and unleash a series of ruthless punches that only partially landed at first. But his confidence was boosted and just before the bell he finally landed a thunderous punch that grazed Joshua's chin and put him down for the first of four demoralising opportunities. There was an awful silence at Wembley and the 98,000-plus crowd, a British record, was waiting for a surprise surprise.

The one-sided fight continued into the second and third rounds. A nasty left hook to Joshua caused even more chaos as the favorite collapsed. Backed into the ropes, Dubois fired more punches and forced another countdown.

But Joshua, who now has a 28-4 record as a professional, is extremely tough and with every second he spent on his feet, doubts about the outcome began to arise.

In fact, Joshua even landed a crisp right of his own in the fifth that could have snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. The perfectly delivered punch left his eyes wide as he rushed to make an improbable comeback.

But a reckless attack was punished by a calm Dubois, who countered with a perfectly timed right that left Joshua completely contrite and ended an unforgettable evening at the final stop of the season in Riyadh and the Saudi Arabian takeover of boxing.

As you walked down Wembley Way hours ago, you were greeted by a tunnel of Joshua posters reading “Say Less.” He will have to find words in the coming hours and days to perhaps activate a rematch clause and salvage hopes of a third world title.

Joshua returned to his spiritual home, or at least a place that has become synonymous with his meteoric rise and the iconic moments of his career. “AJ” has been filling stadiums with ease for more than a decade, but this was the first fight of its kind since the arenas and Riyadh rebuilt after the first loss to Usyk at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2021.

And while Dubois was not completely unfamiliar with such an environment, having already fought Usyk at the Wroclaw stadium in Poland, Joshua, at his current age, had already emerged victorious from an unforgettable fight with Wladimir Klitschko and was truly feeling like a popular fighter again.

The heavyweight division is stuck in a strange phase; thanks to Usyk's victory over Fury this year, the uncertainty at the top has disappeared and the remaining challengers, including the 'Gypsy King', Joshua, Dubois and veterans like Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang, are just jockeying for position. The belts have started to scatter, however, as the sport's absurd politics rarely align with the champion's desired path or provide the patience needed to celebrate a true king. And these British heavyweights can thank Usyk and his contractual obligation to face Fury for even making this occasion and meeting the face of British boxing happen.

This time, however, for real. An infamous sparring match years ago in which Joshua admits that Dubois gave him a good punch has been the subject of rumors for years, including rumors that the blow was so hard that their training period was ended prematurely.

Joshua had rediscovered his menacing side under the guidance of Ben Davison, a trainer despised in some boxing circles but with a tireless ability to inspire many fighters to progress and develop.

Having met the best in the sport, including famed trainers Robert Garcia and Derrick James, it was Davison who brought that vicious side back to life in the ring, enabling him to defeat the underdog Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.

Yet that side was missing here, as boxing's elite stood in shock outside that famous ring. The legendary Roberto Duran, pound-for-pound king Terence Crawford and heavyweight stars Fury and Usyk were among those enjoying an event that epitomised the sport's evolution under Saudi Arabia's vision. A concert by Liam Gallagher served as the odd main support act, just to underline the point.

If Joshua's scathing comments toward Dubois beforehand, including a vicious threat to smash a chair into his rival's head, deserved respect, then his rival certainly delivered that respect here.

“You're probably wondering if I still want to think about fighting. Of course I want to keep fighting,” Joshua said. “We tried to succeed and we failed. What does that mean now? That we walk away? We're going to live to fight another day. And that's me – I'm a warrior.”

Eddie Hearn was “sure” his fighter would accept the rematch, although the details remain unclear. Such a decision could put Joshua in a dangerous position and put him at risk of a second painful defeat. So what's next? His team will consider the options, but one more wrong move and the road back to the top of the sport could be blocked forever.