This past Saturday, September 21, 2024, Wembley Stadium in London bore witness to a monumental night of boxing, headlined by Anthony Joshua’s bid to become a three-time world champion against Daniel Dubois for the IBF title. In front of a record-breaking 96,000 fans, the event delivered a series of compelling clashes, including significant bouts for Josh Kelly, Tyler Denny, Josh Warrington, and Anthony Cacace.
Dubois Stuns Joshua in Heavyweight Title Clash
The highly anticipated main event saw Daniel Dubois successfully defend his IBF heavyweight title against Anthony Joshua in a stunning upset. Dubois, who had been elevated to full IBF champion on June 26, 2024, after Oleksandr Usyk vacated the belt, delivered a dominant performance. Many had questioned Dubois’ ability to rise to the occasion, especially against a marquee name like Joshua, but “Dynamite” proved his mettle from the opening bell.
Dubois immediately took the front foot, establishing his jab and landing a powerful overhand right that sent Joshua to the canvas at the end of the first round. Although Joshua beat the count, he appeared unsteady. The pressure continued into the third and fourth rounds, with Joshua hitting the canvas twice more, though one instance was ruled a slip. Despite a brief resurgence from Joshua in the fifth round, Dubois countered an attempted uppercut with a short, crisp right hand, dropping Joshua for the final time. The fight was called off at 0:59 of the fifth round, with Dubois securing a sensational knockout victory and retaining his IBF heavyweight title. This outcome sent shockwaves through the heavyweight division, positioning Dubois as a formidable force and potentially setting up future clashes with top contenders like Tyson Fury or Oleksandr Usyk, who were reportedly ringside.
Cacace Dominates Warrington, IBF Title Not on the Line
The co-main event featured Leeds’ Josh Warrington against Anthony Cacace for the IBO World Super Featherweight title. Anthony Cacace entered the fight on the back of a career-best win, stopping Joe Cordina in Round 8 of their IBF World Junior Lightweight championship fight on the Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk undercard on May 18, 2024. That victory saw Cacace claim the IBF Super Featherweight title, a belt he would later vacate on January 31, 2025, to pursue bigger fights rather than face mandatory challenger Eduardo ‘Sugar’ Nunez. Cacace’s only prior professional loss had been a close decision against Martin J Ward in July 2017.
Josh Warrington, meanwhile, was looking to rebound from back-to-back losses: a majority decision defeat to Luis Alberto Lopez in December 2022, which cost him his IBF featherweight title, and a seventh-round technical knockout loss to Leigh Wood in October 2023. Though Cacace’s IBF belt was initially believed to be on the line for the Wembley clash, it was ruled that because Cacace had been mandated to fight Eduardo ‘Sugar’ Nunez, and Warrington was not ranked with the IBF, the belt would not be contested. This meant that even if Cacace had lost, the IBF belt would have become vacant.
In the actual contest, Anthony Cacace delivered a commanding performance, defeating Josh Warrington via unanimous decision. The judges scored the bout 118-110, 117-111, and 117-111 in favour of Cacace. This marked a significant victory for Cacace, extending his winning streak and solidifying his position in the super featherweight division. Warrington, now with a record of 31-4-1 at the time of the article’s original publication, faced another setback in his career. He has since gone on to beat Asad Asif Khan by unanimous decision in April 2025 but then lost a rematch to Leigh Wood by unanimous decision in February 2026. Cacace, on the other hand, continued his impressive run, securing a ninth-round TKO victory over Leigh Wood in May 2025 and a unanimous decision win against Jazza Dickens in March 2026.
Undercard Action and Implications
The Wembley card also featured several other compelling matchups. Josh Kelly took on Ishmael Davis, a late replacement for Liam Smith, who pulled out with illness. Kelly secured a majority decision victory over Davis with scores of 115-113, 115-114, and 114-114. This marked Kelly’s sixth consecutive win and handed Davis the first loss of his professional career.
In another significant bout, Tyler Denny faced off against Hamzah Sheeraz for the EBU European Middleweight title. Sheeraz proved too powerful for Denny, securing a second-round knockout victory and claiming the European strap. This win further cemented Sheeraz’s status as a rising star in the middleweight division.
The implications of Saturday night’s results are far-reaching. Daniel Dubois’ stunning knockout of Anthony Joshua has reshaped the heavyweight landscape, proving that “Dynamite” is a legitimate threat at the top of the division. For Anthony Joshua, it’s a significant setback, forcing him to re-evaluate his path back to world championship status. In the super featherweight division, Anthony Cacace’s dominant performance against Josh Warrington, coupled with his decision to vacate the IBF title, indicates his ambition for the biggest fights available, potentially setting the stage for lucrative matchups against other champions or top contenders in the future. Warrington, now with a record of 32-5-1, faces a challenging road ahead to regain his elite standing. The undercard victories for Josh Kelly and Hamzah Sheeraz also highlight their continued progression and potential for future world title opportunities in their respective divisions.
Though the announcement regarding the IBF belt not being on the line for Cacace vs. Warrington was made only in the week leading up to the fight, TalkSport’s George Glinski reported that both teams had been aware of the situation for ‘over a month’. This behind-the-scenes knowledge adds another layer to the narrative of a night that delivered both expected thrills and unexpected outcomes.
Follow NoSmokeBoxing on X.
