Promoter Eddie Hearn blames Anthony Joshua’s Fifth-round KO defeat on Saturday evening on the primary spherical knockdown he suffered towards IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois.
In response to Hearn, Joshua (28-4, 23 KOs) by no means recovered from that knockdown in spherical one and was straightforward pickings for Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs), who was like a shark that smelled blood within the water.
Joshua’s punch resistance was completely gone after the primary spherical, and he was subsequently dropped three extra occasions by Dubois earlier than the competition was waived off in spherical 5 when he might now not rise up.
AJ tried to get again to his toes after being knocked down by a right-hand counter by Dubous within the fifth, however he couldn’t rise in time to beat the rely from the referee.
The way in which the battle was enjoying out, Joshua would have had issues even when he hadn’t been damage within the first spherical as a result of he was getting hit an excessive amount of by Dubois.
AJ’s protection wasn’t there, and he couldn’t land his proper hand was any consistency to harm Dubois the best way he’d achieved along with his 4 earlier opponents.
Ade Oladipo: “Eddie, I do know you’re clearly very dissatisfied. It became a firefight. Lots of people stated this may very well be a Hagler-Hearns sort of battle, and once you battle like that, you simply by no means know. Each of them have been throwing heavy photographs. One in every of them was going to land, and sadly in your man, it was Daniel that landed extra.”
Eddie Hearn: “Properly, it was the fourth spherical. It was an enormous proper hand that AJ took within the first spherical [from Dubois], and after that, he was combating on coronary heart and need. I’m so happy with him as a result of he by no means gave up. His legs have been deceiving him and he simply stored on making an attempt.
“On the finish of the fourth spherical, he damage Dubois, and within the fifth spherical, he actually damage Daniel Dubois. Then he acquired grasping and walked straight onto a proper hand, and that’s all she wrote. If you’re in there with a large puncher, that is what can occur.
“AJ by no means gave up. He by no means stopped making an attempt to rise up, even when he couldn’t rise up [in round five]. I believe large congratulations to Daniel Dubois as a result of individuals doubted him. He was the champion, however actually the B-side coming into the battle. He deserves credit score now as an actual world champion as a result of that was a terrific efficiency.
“If we’re going to lose, dropping to a British heavyweight makes it really feel higher. So congratulations to him, however actually happy with Anthony Joshua, who by no means gave up,” stated Hearn.
