DINH DOONG

In what was supposed to be one of the biggest fights of his career, Anthony Joshua faced off against Daniel Dubois in a bout that ended in a dramatic 8th-round knockout. As the referee counted to ten, the arena erupted with excitement for the newly crowned champion, Dubois, while Joshua was left picking himself up from the canvas, visibly stunned.

But the story didn’t end there. Days after the fight, Joshua took to social media and interviews to voice his frustration, alleging that something wasn’t right about the outcome. “I’ve been in this game for years, and I know when something’s off,” Joshua declared in an impassioned statement. “Dubois did not deserve that win. There were forces at play that were beyond my control.”

Joshua’s accusations mainly focus on what he describes as questionable officiating and tactics used by Dubois’s team. According to Joshua, the referee was quick to call a count, and there were moments where he felt Dubois was given unfair advantages. “I was hit with illegal shots multiple times, and the referee turned a blind eye. There’s no way that fight should have ended the way it did,” he stated.

Additionally, Joshua suggested that Dubois’s team might have used underhanded tactics to gain an edge, though he refrained from elaborating on specific details. “I’m not one to make excuses, but everyone who saw that fight knows something was off. The truth will come out,” he hinted, leaving fans speculating about the nature of his claims.

Dubois, now riding high as the new heavyweight champion, was quick to respond to Joshua’s accusations. In a calm and collected statement, he addressed the controversy, saying, “I have nothing to hide. I trained hard, put in the work, and fought with everything I had. Joshua is a great fighter, but on that night, I was the better man. There’s no room for excuses in this sport.”

He added, “I respect Joshua for what he’s accomplished, but to say the fight was rigged is just disrespectful to me, my team, and all the fans who watched. I won fair and square.”

As the controversy continues to unfold, reactions within the boxing community have been mixed. While some fans and analysts believe Joshua’s claims have merit, pointing to possible inconsistencies during the fight, others argue that Dubois’s victory was legitimate and that Joshua should accept the loss gracefully.

Promoters and former fighters have weighed in on the situation, with some suggesting that a rematch could be the only way to settle the dispute once and for all. Boxing legend Mike Tyson commented, “It’s a tough pill to swallow when you lose, especially in a fight of that magnitude. But if Joshua believes there was foul play, he deserves a chance to prove it in the ring.”

Despite the defeat and the controversy surrounding it, Joshua has vowed not to let this be the end of his career. “I’m not done yet. This is just a setback, and I’ll be back stronger,” he stated defiantly. The former champion has hinted at a possible rematch with Dubois, but whether that will materialize remains to be seen.

For now, the boxing world is left with more questions than answers. Was the fight truly rigged, or is this simply the reaction of a fighter coming to terms with an unexpected defeat? One thing is certain: the drama is far from over, and fans are eagerly awaiting the next chapter in this intense rivalry.