Overpowered, overwhelmed, and now, surely, over the hill. Three weeks before turning 35, the age at which Anthony Joshua once promised to retire, the one-time emblem of British heavyweight boxing was dealt his gravest humiliation yet, his every defence dismantled by Daniel Dubois in 4-and-a-half astonishingly one-sided rounds.

If the fallen champion looked as if he had seen a ghost, then so too did his impresario Eddie Hearn, whose masterplan to restore his man to the summit of the sport has now officially been reduced to matchwood.

On a bizarre, disorientating night at Wembley Stadium for the IBF heavyweight title fight, with the Saudi national anthem given priority over God Save the King to reflect Riyadh’s bankrolling of the occasion, Joshua looked a pale imitation of the revitalised fighter wildly talked up for a duel with Tyson Fury. Needing first to navigate the challenge of Dubois, a nimble mover and fierce puncher growing in stature with every contest, Joshua conveyed the air of a man who wanted the canvas to swallow him whole.

The end, when it came, was merciful. One crisp blow of the jaw was all it took for his 6ft 5in frame to crumple and for his plans for a nine-figure payday against Fury to be wiped out. But the manner of the concluding act barely hinted at the punishment Joshua had endured at the hands of a man seven years his junior. Four times he lay prone, helpless, as though desperate for the referee to put him out of his misery. He did not need to wait long, with Dubois flattening him with an unanswerable right.

Dubois has been catapulted towards global stardom

Dubois’ pose told you everything, as he stood over his vanquished adversary in a fashion redolent of Muhammad Ali’s snarling triumphalism towards Sonny Liston, the most iconic image in sport. The axis of the heavyweight division has tilted, with Joshua’s renaissance stopped in its tracks and Dubois catapulted towards global stardom. All roads were pointing towards a Joshua-Fury confrontation in 2025, but that can be shelved indefinitely. No wonder Fury appeared crestfallen at ringside as he digested the result. He had just lost out on a minimum £100 million.

There had long been doubts over Joshua’s chin, given his knockdowns against Wladimir Klitschko in 2017 and, shockingly, the corpulent Andy Ruiz Jnr two years later. But the anxieties had been assuaged by the authority of his recent victories, with coach Ben Davison showing signs of restoring him to the dominance of old. But this was an evening when everything went wrong, with Joshua discovering, in the most chastening possible way, that his career was running out of road.

It should have been an experience of unalloyed joy for somebody born just a few miles up the road in Watford. He clearly believed in his superiority over Dubois: the star attraction at Wembley Stadium for the first time since 2018, he did not exactly opt for subtlety in his choice of walk-on music. Striding out to The Godfather theme tune, he appeared in full “sleep with the fishes” mindset, with the musical medley ending with War from Rocky IV. There were none of the theatrical jets of fire that had accompanied his entrance against Klitschko. This was strictly business.

Dubois stalked his prey in a thunderous contest

Except the alarm for Joshua was acute from the outset. Dubois, far from intimidated by the size of the stakes, detonated a juddering overhand right in only the first minute that sent Joshua staggering back. There was almost a timidity about the older man’s approach as he struggled to settle into any form of rhythm, with his hands dropping and his footwork leaden.

This always looked likely to be a thunderous contest, with only four of the fighters’ 49 wins having gone the distance. But it was Dubois meting out a beating to which Joshua had no response, with the former two-time champion collapsing under the bombardment in the closing seconds of the first, reprieved only by the bell. He had still not recuperated by the second, with Dubois refusing to take a backward step, stalking his prey to all corners of the ring and imposing himself time and again with his jab.

The story, which some had thought apocryphal, was that Joshua had been troubled previously by Dubois in sparring. This time you saw exactly why, with Dubois whipping in a left hook in the third round and Joshua appearing to touch the floor with his glove. While it was not deemed a knockdown, Dubois sustained his assault without mercy, not relenting until Joshua was down again.

It was remarkable, frankly, that Joshua was still standing, given how much he was suffering. Even with 96,000 fans inside Wembley, the chants of “AJ” were diminishing, his disciples resigned to the inevitable. The fourth round was fractionally closer, but the die was cast. Although Joshua landed his first clean hit of the fight deep in the fifth, it merely left him open for Dubois to apply the coup de grace, launching one savage hit into the windpipe and another to the chin. This time there was to be no Lazarus-like comeback, with Joshua forlornly counted out.

Unlike after his second defeat to Oleksandr Usyk, Joshua did not seize the microphone or attempt to offer any specious justifications for losing. He spoke softly, briefly, conscious that the future he had mapped out for himself had just been dramatically and irrevocably redrawn. Rarely, if ever, are falls from grace so brutal.

Dubois topples Joshua after explosive fight: As it happened

11:22 PM BST

The round from which Joshua never recovered

11:10 PM BST

Needless to say, I was right

10:59 PM BST

Eddie Hearn has said he expects Joshua to trigger his rematch clause

10:57 PM BST

Frank Warren on what’s next for Dubois

10:50 PM BST

More from Dubois, speaking to DAZN

10:47 PM BST

Eddie Hearn’s assessment of Joshua’s performance

10:42 PM BST

Dubois speaking in the ring

10:41 PM BST

Joshua speaking in the ring

10:35 PM BST

The punch that felled Joshua

10:28 PM BST

Dubois knocks Joshua out in the fifth!

Joshua had only just landed a right-hand shot himself, a potential ray of light after so much punishment, but Dubois steadied himself before planting a right hand on Joshua’s chin as he leaned his weight forward. Joshua toppled, left in a heap lying on his side on the canvas, and there was no prospect of making the count. An explosive fight that lived up to the hype. Dubois countered the counter-attack.

Is Dubois also feeling the pace ? Huge right from Joshua wobbles Dubois and goes on the attack himself... but it caught in the exchange by a counter which crumples Joshua who is unable to recover. Paid the price after fighting back. Great spirit by AJ in brutal fight. What a performance by Dubois...

10:25 PM BST

Round four: Somehow Joshua hangs in there

Joshua hit the canvas again and, to coin a phrase associated with Wembley, they thought it was all over as the referee waved his arms, but it was ruled a slip.

Dubois’ left-hand continues to do serious damage, this is one-way traffic. You have to admire Joshua’s heart and chin but this has been a pummeling so far. His only chance is to hope Dubois has punched himself out or pray for one big punch of his own.

“F------ warrior spirit” says Ben Davison in Joshua’s corner.

Joshua stumbles and is down again. His legs have gone. He tied Dubois up.

Dubois measuring AJ for a finish. Low blow from Dubois. Warned. Joshua is all over the place. Joshua lands a couple of jabs, throws right hand. Joshua fighting on instinct. He is all over the place.

Dubois 10-8

10:21 PM BST

Round three: Joshua down again!

Joshua caught again just before the bell at the end of the third round, and his legs buckled as he fell back towards the ropes. He gets to the count of five before standing up in front of his stool after the bell had sounded. The referee made him walk forward but is satisfied that he is fit to continue. Surely he cannot last much longer...

Dubois still hunting for a finish. Joshua pawing out long jab and missing...

Dubois stalking... looking for the big right hand finish. All Dubois. Jab, jab and a right hand to the body...

Joshua touches down. Then is down, the bell goes and he is counted as he finds his feet. Ben Davison talking to AJ about countering.

10-8 Dubois

10:20 PM BST

Gareth’s scores

Round one: Dubois 10-8

Round two: Joshua tries to start fast but DDD the aggressor again. Joshua has not recovered. Grim survival tactics and AJ holds and ties his foe up. Left and right from Dubois. Somehow Joshua survived the round. Dubois 10-8

10:16 PM BST

Round two: Joshua still standing

Dubois going in for the kill right from the off in round two, and Joshua looks unsteady on his feet as he grasps from the ropes and some potential respite. This is a survival mission for Joshua at the moment. The crowd sensing that they might be about to witness a spectacular early stoppage. At the end of the second round, Joshua is still standing but is on the back foot after a Dubois barrage.

Here is that Dubois right hand from the first round:

10:12 PM BST

Round one: Joshua knocked down!

Dubois’ left-handed jab is proving a weapon so far, and the defending champion has started on the front foot. Joshua feeling his way into the contest, but he is the fighter reacting rather than setting the agenda so far.

And Joshua is down! He is up well before the count, and then the bell goes. But that was a heavy blow landed by Dubois, a big overhand right.

After a 12-minute wait in the ring for Dubois for Joshua and the anthems, they are underway. Dubois looked warmed up and sweating for his walk in. Marcus McDonnell is the referee, and they are underway. Dubois very fast start, lands the jab well. Joshua tries the overhand right. Good jab and right hand from Joshua. Dubois warned about use of the head.

Huge right from Dubois drops Joshua in a heap and AJ is saved by the bell. He was hit flush on the chin.

10:09 PM BST

The bell rings!

Joshua vs Dubois is under way. How long will this last?

10:07 PM BST

Michael Buffer is back

After he announced Liam Gallagher to the stage, he has returned to the day (or night) job. We are about to get ready to rumble...

10:05 PM BST

Very strange scenes indeed at Wembley

Bright green lights greet the playing of the Saudi national anthem, which is booed initially by some sections of the Wembley crowd. A not too subtle reminder to all 96,000 in attendance of who is really running the show. We then have God Save the King to mark this all-British heavyweight fight.

There’s eclectic and then there’s hearing Supersonic and Chant of the Saudi Nation at the same gig.

10:01 PM BST

Now Anthony Joshua starts his ringwalk

His ringwalk starts with Nino Rota’s ‘Love Theme’ score from The Godfather, which surely everyone has considered making their ringtone at some point. Joshua in the more typical boxer’s gown, and he looks the more measured of the two fighters as he approaches the ring.

09:56 PM BST

The ringwalks have started at Wembley

Daniel Dubois the first man out. He appears to have borrowed one of those barber shop pashminas you have put over you when getting a haircut. Whatever keeps him warm and limber, I suppose.

09:46 PM BST

Penny for the thoughts of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice

Liam offstage before the final syllable of Cigarettes and Alcohol had reached row Z in the top tier, not giving the organisers a second longer than he had to. The cognitive dissonance of a man singing about doing “a fat line” with the logo for Riyadh Season in the background almost too much to compute. Oh well, the competent tribute act backing him seemed to be having a nice time. Including, it should be noted, Oasis’ original rhythm guitarist. Et tu, Bonehead?

09:44 PM BST

Oleksandr Usyk and his WBC world title belt

09:41 PM BST

No encore required

That’s Liam’s three songs done, and now the countdown to the main event begins.

The ringwalks should begin in around 20 minutes, but they never miss an opportunity to drag these things out.

09:38 PM BST

Liam manages to get through the rest of Supersonic without a hiccup

If you think the guitar solo sounds familiar it is because it is a lift from George Harrison’s My Sweet Lord.

Now onto Cigarettes and Alcohol, which of course bears more than passing sonic resemblance to T Rex’s Get It On.

You either love the fact Oasis steal rather than borrow in a nod to their musical heroes, or find it all too derivative.

09:34 PM BST

Liam forgets that he needs to be himself

Liam adds a sweary ad-lib to Rock n Roll Star and within seconds Sky flash up a message on screen reading “We apologise for the strong language”. Coarse language near me boxing ring, how frightful! He misses the first line of Supersonic next, which does not seem ideal. No apology yet for that.

09:33 PM BST

Liam’s voice in reasonable fettle

Not much has changed: still going for the nasally Lydon-Lennon crossover after all these years. But he’s stronger and more assured than some especially ropey solo performances a few years ago. The benefit perhaps of, err, toning down some of his extra-circular activity.

09:27 PM BST

Liam Gallagher is in the building...

He is walking through the concourses of Wembley like he is about to step into a boxing ring, but nothing new there I suppose. And would you believe it, he is getting the Michael Buffer treatement as his name is announced.

And he kicks off his three-song set with Rock ‘n’ Roll Star, the first track off Oasis’ first album Definitely Maybe, which was released 30 yards ago.

09:21 PM BST

Frank Warren’s ringside thoughts on Dubois’ chances

09:13 PM BST

Joshua’s Wembley arrival

09:10 PM BST

Conor McGregor and his sunglasses at Wembley

08:49 PM BST

Joshua has now arrived at Wembley

The ringwalks are expected to start at approximately 10pm. Dubois has been in his dressing room for quite some time already. Joshua has been giving off a relaxed air all week.

08:46 PM BST

Liam Gallagher to take the stage at 9.25pm

Liam Gallagher is due up next, for his Wembley acclimatisation session before a reunited Oasis play at Wembley next year. He has already shared his three song setlist for this evening, and it’s grim reading for fans of his solo material, Rock n Roll Star, Supersonic and Cigarettes and Alcohol, a combination which will get you deported at best from the country paying for this evening’s festivities. It’s Liam’s 52nd birthday today, and what better way to celebrate than with about 15 minutes work for presumably a touch above minimum wage?

08:41 PM BST

Some news on Anthony Joshua

He is not yet at Wembley and has elected to warm up at his hotel. Joshua opting for a late arrival, presumably an attempt to avoid distraction and wasted energy. As ever, the outcome will dictate how this strategy is viewed.

08:38 PM BST

Sheeraz wins via stoppage in the second round!

That was Sheeraz’s 15th consecutive stoppage and continues on his path towards a world title fight. That was the most commanding performance of the night so far.

08:38 PM BST

Denny down twice

Hamzah Sheeraz is heading to the very top. Left hook to the body took everything out of Tyler Denny. Sheeraz is one of the great rising stars in world boxing.

08:24 PM BST

Tyler Denny vs Hamzah Sheeraz up now

The European middleweight crown is on the line. This is the final fight on the undercard before Liam Gallagher’s three-song cameo precedes the blue-riband fight between Joshua and Dubois.

08:18 PM BST

Joshua Buatsi wins by split decision

Quite the discrepancy between the cards there: 113-112 to Hutchinson, 117-108 to Buatsi, 115-110 to Buatsi. There was some murmurs around the ring when the Polish judge’s score in favour of Hutchinson was read out.

08:13 PM BST

Another fight goes the distance (against all odds in this case)

Have Buatsi winning this by two rounds in spite of the late salvo from Hutchinson. Some fight.

08:08 PM BST

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08:07 PM BST

Neither fighter leaving anything out there

Epitome of the rough trade here as both Buatsi and Hutchinson hurt each other in the ninth round. Both men emptying their tanks here. Hutch down. Buatsi needs to press now in the tenth.

08:00 PM BST

Hutchinson down again in the ninth!

Fortunately, he only had 10 seconds or so remaining in the round before the ball. Hutchinson was up on the count of four, but his legs were wobbling a touch. Not long before that, Hutchinson had Buatsi on the ropes and was unloading. But Buatsi is back in the ascendancy with three rounds to go.

07:58 PM BST

Ricky Hatton’s view on the main event

07:56 PM BST

Hutchinson and Buatsi duelling

This fight is delivering, both fighters taking each other to the well. Hutchinson point deducted for the use of the head, and was down. Buatsi ahead but he has looked hurt as well as he targets Hutchinson’s body. Grueling brutality. Terrific fight.

In the eighth they are duelling and though I have JB two rounds up. Who wants this the most?

07:50 PM BST

Hutchinson responds in the seventh

After landing a flurry of punches, Hutchinson is docked a point for a deliberate blow to the back of Buatsi’s head. Hutchinson then lands a cutting right-hand. Buatsi’s defences are being breached far too easily. Perhaps a touch of complacency after Hutchinson went down in the last round.

Then Hutchinson walks straight into a Buatsi right hand! Some heavy shots landed in the seventh round.

07:47 PM BST

Hutchinson down in the sixth round!

He gets up on the count of seven, but Buatsi sense the opportunity in front of him. Hutchinson slumps down on his stool, and needs to fill up on oxygen before the seventh. It was a strong body shot from Buatsi that put Hutchinson on the canvas.

07:45 PM BST

Five rounds into Buatsi vs Hutchinson

Hutchinson has a small cut around each eye as we approach the halfway stage of the bout.

07:20 PM BST

That could prove to be Josh Warrington’s last fight

07:19 PM BST

Joshua Buatsi vs Willie Hutchinson up now

They are fighting for the vacant WBO Interim light-heavyweight title. The pair had a tense head-to-head at the pre-fight press conference, with Buatsi grabbing Hutchinson around the neck. Will that atmosphere continue when the bell sounds?

Buatsi versus Hutchinson is the most intriguing fight outside of Joshua v Dubois.

Hutchinson surprised against Craig Richards in the 5v5 event in Riyadh. Buatsi is another level, but Hutch got under his skin in the build up.

Strong and powerful is Buatsi. Skilled and a mover is Hutch.

Willy H will have to get ahead in the early rounds to win this in my opinion.

07:16 PM BST

Tyson Fury’s characteristic thoughts on the main event

07:11 PM BST

Anthony Cacace retains his IBO and IBF super featherweight titles

The judges had it 118-110, 117-111 and 117-11. A competitive and tenacious showing from Warrington, but it was a fairly comfortable, unanimous points verdict in Cacace’s favour.

07:08 PM BST

Cacace looks the favourite

Cacace won that 116-112 for me. Won eight of those rounds even though it was competitive. Warrington is a rough, tough man. The night is passing very quickly. Three fights down; three to go...

07:06 PM BST

Cacace vs Warrington goes the distance...

Warrington was flagging in the last few rounds, and he was caught by a hefty uppercut in the 12th. Warrington takes it and remains standing, before he slipped. Both fighters have given everything and, while this is not a foregone conclusion, Cacace looks to have the edge as they go to the judges’ scorecards. Warrington has some blood on the back of his head.

06:51 PM BST

Cacace and Warrington delivering

Terrific action from Cacace and Warrington. The latter, the Leeds Warrior, is making this an entertaining feast. Very physically demanding. Into round eight, I have The Apache a couple of rounds up. But Warrington relishes this kind of dogfight...

He predicted a riot tonight attempting to win a world title for the third time.

06:34 PM BST

We are four rounds into Cacace vs Warrington

Warrington was caught by Cacace at close quarters, but has steadied himself. Warrington had made the stronger, more controlled start, but the Northern Irishman is starting to land. One upper-cut from Cacace caught the eye. A fight that is living up to its billing so far.

06:28 PM BST

Our boxing correspondent in position at Wembley

06:14 PM BST

Anthony Cacace vs Josh Warrington up now..

Josh Warrington’s walk-on music starts with Leeds United staple Marching on Together. Let’s hope he has better fortune at Wembley than his football team over the last few decades. That is followed by I Predict A Riot by the Kaiser Chiefs. Anthony ‘The Apache’ Cacace follows him out to the sound of Zombie by The Cranberries, a favourite of Irish rugby fans.

06:05 PM BST

Josh Kelly wins by majority decision

Josh Kelly looks rather puzzled by how close those judges’ cards were - 114-114, 115-113, 115-114 - but he is the winner. Davis might regret not getting on the front foot sooner. Steve Bunce reckons Davis had “his ears boxed off” and is “flabbergasted” that one of the judges had it a draw. But job, just about, done by Kelly.

06:02 PM BST

Tyson Fury has taken his seat ringside

06:01 PM BST

An ugly finish for Kelly in round 12

After controlling much of the fight from the outside, Davis is cut and Davis is the aggressor in the 12th and final round. I am not sure Davis has done enough to overturn the expected points verdict, but Kelly is hanging on. Boy was he happy to hear the bell. Kelly has surely done enough overall, but that was a sharp reminder of how momentum can shift.

05:47 PM BST

We are in round eight of the night’s second fight

Josh Kelly is taking on Ishmael Davis. Davis was a late replacement after Liam Smith pulled out because he contracted a virus.

05:42 PM BST

Josh Padley the victor over Mark Chamberlain in the first fight on the undercard

05:35 PM BST

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05:33 PM BST

Will Joshua’s big fight experience tell against Dubois?

Good evening and welcome to our live coverage of Anthony Joshua’s IBF heavyweight world title challenge against holder Daniel Dubois, with a packed undercard preceding the main event at Wembley.

This is Joshua’s 13th world title fight, and he is the man with greater experience of big dates in outdoor arenas. Dubois has never fought at Wembley, while Joshua is returning to the stadium for the first time since 2018 when he bettered Alexander Povetkin.

Dubois’ interim IBF title was upgraded to world championship status when Oleksandr Usyk agreed to his rematch with Tyson Fury, thus ruling him out of facing the mandatory challenger.

Both Joshua and Dubois have been beaten by Usyk, the world’s best heavyweight, but have recovered. Dubois got the better of Jarrell Miller, thought by some to be the best piece of form going into tonight’s fight, and he also stopped Filip Hrgovic.

Joshua has strung together a four-fight winning run against Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and former UFC champion Francis Ngannou, but the calibre of those opponents has been questioned.

There is an expectation that Joshua vs Dubois could turn into a firefight, with Dubois talking up his chances of an early knockout and both fighters being extremely heavy punchers.

Dubois told Sky Sports: “I aim to knock him out. That’s the programme. That’s the mindset, that’s the intention coming into this fight. I’m going to focus my whole life into destroying it and just being a good destroyer, a good conqueror.

“Don’t wait. Go out there. Smash him.”

The undercard is already under way, with Anthony Cacace vs Josh Warrington at super-featherweight, Joshua Buatsi vs Willie Hutchinson for the vacant WBO Interim light-heavyweight title and Tyler Denny vs Hamzah Sheeraz on tonight’s slate.

There is also going to be a performance by Liam Gallagher, who has a Wembley date of his own next year following the news of Oasis’ reunion. The frontman, who turns 52 today, announced his setlist on X last night and is giving the crowd what they want by playing the hits. Will Joshua and Dubois do the same?