Anthony Joshua should heed warning from Muhammad Ali about keeping the gloves on for far too long
ANTHONY JOSHUA learned that young lions run much faster when they are hungry in his humiliating defeat by Daniel Dubois.
Poor Joshua was completely overwhelmed at Wembley and in less than 15 minutes was the hapless and helpless victim of his advancing years and Triple D’s youth and voracious appetite.
Before the Welfare State, being a hungry fighter usually meant you grew up in poverty and the only way to put food on the table and keep a full belly was to fight for it.
Dubois has always had more than enough to eat. His hunger has been for success, recognition by his peers and a burning desire to be a true champion and not just a paper one.
And that is what turned him into such a ferociously dangerous animal who leapt from his corner at the opening bell intent on devouring the man facing him.
We had wondered if the normally placid, respectful Dubois was really ruthless enough to grit his teeth and storm his way to the top of the pile.
I was one who doubted his resolve, particularly after he took the knee in the ninth round to bail out of his world heavyweight title clash against Oleksandr Usyk in Poland a year ago.
Nobody knows who once wrote: “Never give in. Never give up. Be relentless, be unstoppable . . . be so hungry that it keeps you awake.
“You can accomplish anything. This is your time.”
I don’t suppose for a minute Dubois ever read that — but he certainly lived every minute of those sentiments.
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'Are you not entertained? I'm a gladiator' - What Dubois and Joshua said after brutal fight
DANIEL DUBOIS annihilated Anthony Joshua’s dream of becoming a three-time world heavyweight champion, writes Wally Downes Jr.
Joshua was floored FOUR times as Dubois landed an astonishing fifth-round knockout in front of a record 96,000 Wembley crowd and millions of TV viewers to retain his IBF belt.
AJ, 34, never recovered after being downed in the first round of last night’s Battle of Britain showdown as a huge Dubois right-hand haymaker caught him flush on the chin.
Here’s what they said after the fight:
DANIEL DUBOIS
“Are you not entertained? I’m a gladiator, a warrior to the bitter end. This is the biggest win of my career. I couldn’t let this opportunity go and now I want to go to the top level of this game.
“I’ve been on a roller-coaster ride and this is my time. I’m not gonna stop until I reach my full potential.”
ANTHONY JOSHUA
“As p***ed off as I am, it is what it is.
“I had a sharp, fast opponent and there were a lot of mistakes from me. Credit to my opponent and his team.
“We rolled the dice and came up short. You know I’m p***ed but I’m going to keep cool and give respect to my opponent.”
FRANK WARREN (DUBOIS’ PROMOTER)
“It was a phenomenal fight, like Hagler v Hearns.
“A brilliant fight and everybody has seen a champion’s performance tonight.
“Daniel has shown his courage, his skills.
“AJ caught him with a shot towards the end and I was worried, but what a fabulous, fantastic fight.”
EDDIE HEARN (AJ’S PROMOTER)
“AJ shipped a huge right hand in the first round and was fighting on heart.
“He hurt Daniel at the end of the fourth and then again in the fifth, but got greedy and walked on to a right hand and that’s all she wrote.
“I’m sure Anthony will exercise the rematch clause.”
He bombarded AJ with such venomous, concussive, accurate and powerful right-hand punching that I’ve never seen before in a British ring.
Joshua, who will be 35 next month simply, could not cope with a much younger man’s grim determination to succeed, allied to blistering hand speed.
From the start, he looked like a bewildered rabbit caught in the headlights.
And from the moment of the first of the four knockdowns he received, Joshua must have known any chance of him becoming a three-time world champion was never going to happen.
He simply never recovered from those early blows — physically or mentally — and it was all downhill from there until Dubois put him out of his misery.
Inevitably, speculation has started about where AJ goes from here.
Joshua has had a remarkable career and won the respect of the British public for his achievements inside and outside of the ropes.
The Olympic gold medallist — 11 years a professional and a two-time champion of the world — is said to be worth £175million.
Money he has risked his life for and deserves.
Any sane person knows with his wealth and standing in the country, he should retire now and enjoy the rest of his days in luxury.
It is not easy for fighters in the prime of life, who are never out of the limelight, to accept the fading of the light.
Muhammad Ali never could — and if ever there was a warning to everyone who keeps the gloves on far too long it was him.
Now we have a new champion to celebrate.
Dubois by his magnificent victory on Saturday night has earned the respect he craves.
Dynamite Dan could not have landed on the world stage more explosively.