Dubois flattens Joshua after Uysk beats Fury – what next for heavyweight boxing?

Daniel Dubois made a sensational first defence of his IBF world heavyweight title with a fifth-round knockout of Anthony Joshua on Saturday.

Here the PA news agency examines the key questions arising from a dramatic night at Wembley.

Showing no respect for Joshua’s status as pre-fight favourite, Dubois stalked down Joshua from the opening bell and floored the former unified world champion four times.

It was a stunning display of skill, power and determination from the 27-year-old Londoner who proved his chin by taking some heavy shots in the fifth.

The ferocity of the win has made Dubois the sport’s most exciting heavyweight.

“Listen, that’s cost me £150million” said Tyson Fury at ringside shortly after Joshua had been crushed, a reference to the plans by Saudi Arabia’s boxing kingmakers to fund two clashes between Fury and Joshua next year, one in Riyadh and one in London.

There was another hurdle in Fury’s rematch with Oleksandr Usyk on December 21st, but it was hoped Fury would win to set up the eagerly-awaited all-British showdowns for 2025.

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If Fury loses, they could still meet, but with neither athlete thereby at their peak, it is a less appealing prospect.

Joshua has declared he will fight on despite being dismantled by Dubois, but having been accustomed to headlining it is hard to see where he fits into the division now.

Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn said Joshua has one more fight contracted to the Saudis, so he could be back in action early next year even if a rematch against Dubois is an unlikely prospect given the nature of the defeat.

All eyes are on Fury’s Christmas collision with Usyk, the dominant heavyweight who holds the WBC, WBA and WBO belts and was