Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois round by round reports
BBN’s reporter, Sam Condy, is reporting live tonight for the mammoth match between defending IBF World heavyweight champion and challenger Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium, live on DAZN.
Check back here from 4pm for all the action as it happens.
Mark Chamberlain vs Josh Padley
10×3 Lightweight contest
It’s been far from the one-sided affair many had envisioned through the opening three. Underdog Josh Padley has boxed smart, appearing to confuse Chamberlain and stifling the favourite’s attempts at taking control of the fight. A small cut appeared above Chamberlain’s right eye as they made their way through the third round.
Not much has changed at the halfway point, Chamberlain is still struggling to work out his also undefeated counterpart. A second cut has now appeared above the favourites right eye. The scorecards are surely very close, though the best punch of the fight so far has to go to Padley who caught Chamberlain with a thunderous left hook in the fifth as he was stepping in.
Chamberlain is down halfway through the eighth! Padley decided to stand and trade with the larger man for the first time, and landed clean, sending the favourite to the canvas, with another well placed left hook. Chamberlain appeared to recover well but will need to win the last two rounds to secure a win.
Chamberlain deducted a point in the ninth. He now needs a stoppage.
Chamberlain finished the fight strong, a strong closing round for ‘Thunder’. However Padley looks to have done enough to walk away with a huge victory.
Josh Padley wins by unanimous decision, the judges scoring the fight 95-93, 96-92 and 96-92. What an upset to start the night!
Josh Kelly vs Ishmael Davis
12×3 Middleweight contest
Josh Kelly has looked strong as they enter round four. Ishmael Davis has done well to keep the fight close, though Kelly is comfortably ahead as they move into the second quarter.
Some action at the end of the fourth. Davis caught Kelly and pushed him against the ropes, unloading on the former Olympian. Kelly responded well ducking and weaving to stifle the majority of Davis’ attempts.
Davis is starting to have more success, cutting Kelly off and stopping him using his footwork to evade and frustrate. Round six looks like it could’ve gone to Davis likely winning his first round of the fight.
Nine down, three to go. Davis is doing well to keep the fight competitive, but as it stands Josh Kelly is cruising to his 16th career win. He is too fast and too elusive for Davis, who is unable to pin him down.
Davis lands big with a right hand in the twelfth, Kelly is hurt! It almost looked like it could’ve finished very differently from expected, but Kelly just about managed to hang on till the final bell.
Kelly wins a mixed decision, with scorecards reading far closer than expected; 114-114, 115-113, 115-114.
Anthony Cacace vs Josh Warrington
12×3 IBO World super-featherweight titles
Anthony Cacace has taken the centre through round one. Josh Warrington looks tentative, beginning the fight slow and on the back foot.
A dominant second round for Warrington. The Leeds-residing fighter put together some fantastic combinations on the inside, doing well to dictate the pace and keep Cacace close.
Another good round for Warrington, he looks sharp tonight. He continues to have success on the inside; short sharp and accurate. Cacace is struggling to find answers to the Warrington equation.
Cacace hurt Warrington in the fourth, landing multiple clean shots, beginning his success with a fantastic uppercut. Warrington continued to fire back, not appearing to know how to to take his foot off the pedal.
Warrington’s hurt again in the closing seconds of the fifth, though did well to tie up his opponent and see out the round. A slightly scrappier round, but that looks like two in a row for Cacace. Warrington’s success working the inside has dwindled, he will need to find another method of success if he wants to leave the ring victorious!
A quiet sixth round, both fighters deciding to take the round off. The scorecards must be razor thin as the fighter pass the halfway point, though the momentum looks to be with the Irishman.
Cacace is looking too big and too long for Warrington. Utilizing his jab and a long guard to stifle Warrington’s attacks through the seventh. Every time Warrington managed to break inside Cacace did a solid job tying the Leeds-man up and forcing the referee to break.
Warrington finds some success on the inside in the eight, working the body fantastically well. A close round though Warrington looks to have edged it. However, he may need a stoppage to leave with a win.
Another close round, Cacace appears to be looking to want to cruise to a win, happy to stay safe on the outside.
Unless Warrington can find a stoppage Cacace has surely won it. Warrington is still finding success on the inside, though its too few and far between to prove meaningful to the scorecards.
A close round again, though close rounds are no good for Warrington who surely needs a stoppage as the get ready to enter the last three minutes. Can the Leeds man find a stoppage with his career on the line?
The final bell has rung. Warrington was unable to find a stoppage. Cacace has surely done enough to secure a well-deserved decision.
Cacace has done it, well worked win for the Irishman. The judges reached a unanimous decision with the scorecards reading 118-110, 117-111 and 117-111. What a disciplined performance from Cacace, well-deserved!
Joshua Buatsi vs Willy Hutchinson
12×3 WBO Interim World light-heavyweight title
A good opening round for Hutchinson. Both fighters came out fast, happy to stand in the centre and trade, though the Scotsman found slightly more success. A lightning quick pace has been set, this looks like it could be a corker!
Hutchinson’s awkward style and off-beat timing is proving difficult for Buatsi. Both men are finding success but once again Hutchinson looks to have taken the round. A good left uppercut lands for Hutchinson to close out the round!
Buatsi is finding pockets of success as the bell rings to end the third. However, his opponent always seems to have a response. A better round for Buatsi though, his pressure really paying off. The momentum looks to be changing.
This fight is tough to score, Buatsi is commanding the ring and entering the exchanges well, landing clean to the head an body. However, Hutchinson is having just as much success exiting the exchanges, looking comfortable on the backfoot.
The fifth round comes to a close and Buatsi’s pressure looks to be paying off, Hutchinson is still landing clean combinations but far more sparingly. The Scotsman looks to be struggling to hold the pace being set by his counterpart.
Hutchinson’s down in the sixth! A massive hand right hand lands for Buatsi, Hutchinson stumbles back and is chased across the ring by the Englishman, who pins him landing a diverse flurry to send Hutchinson to the canvas. Hutchinson made it to his feet, though is clearly hurt as the make way to their corners.
What a round! Hutchinson started on the backfoot clearly still hurt from the previous three minutes. A fantastic counter combination from the Scotsman quickly changed the momentum with Buatsi all of a sudden in danger. A fantastic right hand to close out the round landed for Buatsi, how did Hutchinson stay on his feet! This is too close to call.
Another tantalizing round. Buatsi’s pressure is fantastic, stalking his man across the ring landing some fantastic pocketshots. However, every time Hutchinson looks hurt he always seems to answer back with a clean counter. Eight down, four to go!
Buatsi looks hurt early in the ninth! Hutchinson looks knackered, though every time he lands, he lands hard.
Hutchinson goes down at the end of the ninth! A heavy body shot sends the Scot to his knees. He makes it to his feet, surely he cant take much more punishment!
Hutchinson is still happy to come forward and trade through the tenth. As long as Buatsi can stay on his feet a win must be in the bag. Hutchinson is simply fighting on instinct now, there is nothing left in the tank.
A fantastic eleventh round for Hutchinson, where has he found the energy from? The Scot looked to win almost every exchange. Though unless he can find a stoppage it won’t matter. Buatsi is surely too far ahead. Three minutes to go!
An aggressive final round for Hutchinson, chasing a stoppage. Buatsi defends well, seeing out the round. The Englishman must have done enough, though no one can question Hutchinson’s heart. What a fight!
Buatsi gets the win, however, one judge controversially gave the fight to Hutchinson, which is almost impossible to justify! Nonetheless a split-decision win for Buatsi with scorecards reading 115-110, 117-108 and 112-113.
Tyler Denny vs Hamzah Sheeraz
12×3 European middleweight title
Crazy start as Tyler Denny goes down in the first 10 seconds by way of a left-hook! He rises to his feet, it looks like a flash knockdown, but what a fast start for Hamzah Sheeraz! Denny survives the round, he looks unhurt, though that round was all Sheeraz.
Denny down again in the second, he makes it to his feet but the ref waves it off.
Despite his good form, Sheeraz was simply a class above Denny, astonishing power and speed from the Essex fighter. An incredible talent, a world title opportunity has to be next for Hamzah Sheeraz!
Liam Gallagher performance
Main Event 9:45pm ringwalks
Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois
12×3 IBF World heavyweight title
Cagey start for AJ as Dubois comes out very strong. AJ finds himself with his back against the ropes early as DDD instantly takes the centre of the ring and lays it on him.
Just as AJ looked to be easing into the fight, he goes down to a stunning overhand right! AJ is saved by the bell and looks in a world of trouble as round one comes to a close. The punch from Dubois had to travel a long way to reach its target and Joshua’s lack of reactions to get out of the way spells trouble for the favourite.
AJ spends the first half of round two retreating, clearly still hurt from the onslaught he faced in round one, head not clear, legs not right. Then he looks to have his legs back towards the end of the round, happy to stand in the centre with Dubois as they both posture, who will land the next big blow?
Joshua starts round three once again on the back foot, underdog Dubois is oozing confidence, stalking his man. Then AJ goes down again! Dubois lands heavily as the challenger stumbles back into the ropes before being pummelled to the ground, saved by the bell once again.
Joshua finds himself on the canvas yet again at the start of round four! He stumbles to his feet and is sent straight back to the floor, fortunately, after some confusion, it’s declared a slip. Referee Marcus McDonnell waved his arms to rule out the knockdown and 96,000 fans erupted believing the fight was being waved off. However, it continues, and AJ just about survives to the bell, this surely can’t go on much longer!
Its all over! AJ lands a big right hand on Dubois, who wobbles and immediately backs off. AJ chases a finish, finding his one moment to close the show then he’s caught by a fantastic counter right-hand on the way in and is flattened onto the canvas. What a shot and what a win!
Dubois backed up to corner, retreating after being buzzed for the first time in the one-sided fight. But as Joshua went in for the kill, he wound up the right hand with such predictability, that Dubois was easily able to counter with a fight-ending shot. AJ slumped to the canvas so heavily this time, he couldn’t beat the count.
