Anthony Joshua dismissed opponent Daniel Dubois as “s***” moments before he was knocked out by his British heavyweight rival in the fifth round of their clash at Wembley.
Speaking in his corner to trainer Ben Davison following the fourth round, Joshua said Dubois was “really threatening” before appearing to discount the warning to himself.
“At the start of this round he’ll come out fast,” Joshua tells Davison, in audio released by Sky Sports. “He’ll step in with his jab,” continues Davison.
“He’s s***”, Joshua then replies, before standing up and receiving a final word from Davison to “start mixing it up”.
Joshua had been dominated by Dubois through the first four rounds and, despite making a more aggressive start to the fifth, was caught by a right hand after stepping in.
The defeat was a devastating one for Joshua, placing his future plans in jeopardy, but the 34-year-old credited his younger opponent Dubois for the biggest victory of his career.
“We have to give credit to our opponent as well, Daniel,” Joshua said afterwards. “Well done to him and his team and also thank you to my team as well for the way they prepared for me.
“There were a few mistakes in there but that’s the name of the game. Fine margins can cost you at the top level.”
Meanwhile, Joshua’s trainer Davison explained that their plans for the fight fell apart with the 27-year-old Dubois a clear winner over the contest.
“We knew Dubois, he retreats when he jabs,” Davison explained. “We tried to capitalise on that [but] for whatever reason, things didn’t get going in the early part of the fight. We just didn’t manage to get things going early.”
Afterwards Joshua insisted his boxing career was not over, saying: “We took a shot at success and we came up short. What does that mean now? That we’re going to run away? We’re going to live to fight another day. And that’s what I am, I’m a warrior.”
And his promoter Eddie Hearn suggested there would be a rematch between the pair. “Everyone is very fickle, aren’t they? Yesterday he was in the form of his life, has never looked better – wow, this is unbelievable this new resurgence,” Hearn said.
“He has a bad start, gets dropped, tries to recover his feet and just goes to war with no legs. And finds a way back into the fight and walks on to one.
“It’s heavyweight boxing and that was the danger of this fight. It was a thriller and we just felt the tide was about to change, but you have to give Daniel credit.”
