All the stars came out for Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois' Wembley showdown. The ringside area was filled with familiar faces including two-weight undisputed champion Terence Crawford and British heavyweight titan Tyson Fury. Both men received a warm welcome from the capacity crowd at Wembley Stadium. But the biggest roar was reserved for Conor McGregor, who emerged from the tunnel with a cigar in his mouth just after Hamzah Sheeraz's blistering stoppage win over Tyler Denny in the co-main event.
McGregor has been over in America promoting his alcoholic beverage, Forged Irish Stout, but flew to the English capital this afternoon to witness the feel of a big stadium show in the United Kingdom. "You know, stadium shows I've been aspiring for a stadium show myself," he told the DAZN broadcast as he walked into the stadium. "It seems like the UK branch is the only branch in combat sports that does it, you know. And in particular, Eddie [Hearn], Barry [Hearn] and [Anthony] Joshua, I think this is maybe their seventh or eighth stadium show. No one else is really doing it. I wanted to see it for myself in the flesh and you know this is the biggest one yet and I'm excited to be here and see it."
McGregor had campaigned for his comeback fight with Michael Chandler to take place at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas - the home of NFL side, the Dallas Cowboys. However, the contest ended up landing at the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas on June 30 until it eventually collapsed. The pair were supposed to headline UFC 303 but McGregor pulled out of the contest with a broken toe. McGregor hasn't fought since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier during their trilogy bout at UFC 264 in July 2021. And it doesn't look as though he will return to the Octagon until 2025. McGregor and Chandler both called for their fight to take place in December, yet UFC president Dana White stated that 'Notorious' wouldn't be fighting again until next year. With McGregor in limbo, Chandler has been booked to face Charles Oliveira in a rematch at UFC 309 on November 16.
In a video posted on his Instagram explained his decision to face Oliveira next: "Now I get the opportunity to fight Charles Oliveira, become the No. 1 contender, and then I've got options. If Conor can finally get his house in order, if he can finally string together a couple of sober days, string together a couple of days where he's actually training and actually feeling good. And he can actually finally make good on his promise to make the greatest comeback in combat sports history, if he can finally pony up, then I will fight Conor after I dispatch of Charles Oliveira."
McGregor's Presence at the Fight
CONOR MCGREGOR turned heads at Wembley with his fight night fit. The UFC star waved to fans and lapped up the applause as he arrived ringside for Anthony Joshua's heavyweight showdown with Daniel Dubois. McGregor rocked a pair of Versace sunglasses as he sat with his wife Dee Devlin at Saturday's megafight. He wore a light grey suit, pairing it alongside a colourful green and yellow shirt with an open collar. Eagle-eyed fans were quick to notice McGregor was walking around backstage with an unlit cigar. One fan wrote on X: "Connor McGregor strutting around with an unlit cigar is amusing me more than it should do." Another confused viewer said: "Is McGregor actually gonna smoke that cigar or just nurse it all night?" While a third added: "You can’t smoke indoors, so is McGregor just sat there waving about an unlit cigar aye? Mint that."
The Notorious soaked up the atmosphere as he entered the arena packed with 96,000 fellow fight fans. He was spotted by TV cameras putting the cigar to his lips - but not lighting it.
McGregor's Prediction and Reaction
Asked to give his prediction on the contest, he told DAZN: "I think it's going to be a good, close fight. It could go either way. Dubois is very relaxed, but Joshua is on form. So I'm excited to see it unfold." McGregor went on to see Dubois dominate AJ, who he knocked down numerous times before finishing him in the fifth round. The Irishman looked to be loving how the fight unfolded, with him being spotted jumping for joy when Dubois first knocked down Joshua.
McGregor's Return to the UFC
McGregor is hoping to finalise his long-awaited return to the UFC. The 36-year-old's potential comeback clash with Michael Chandler collapsed last week. UFC boss Dana White has suggested McGregor's first UFC fight since July 2021 will happen next year. White told the New York Post: "I was the one this year saying I don't think he's going to fight this year, amid all the talk and everything else. Conor McGregor will fight next year, early 2025."
Beyond the Main Event
Elsewhere at Saturday's huge event at Wembley, a fight on the undercard was dramatically stopped after the lights went out at the Home of Football. While Tommy Fury cupped his ear to the crowd after being booed in the build-up to the main event.
Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois will go round for round in an IBF heavyweight championship fight airing live from London’s Wembley Stadium on Saturday (Sept. 21). “I look at myself as a gladiator and I’m going to step into the arena tomorrow to perform for the people,” Joshua said a press conference on Friday, per the BBC. The 34-year-old boxer’s record stands at 28-3 with 25 knockouts while Dubois, 27, has a 21-2 record with 20 knockouts. “I’m ready to fight, just time to get in the ring and fight,” Dubois said according to ESPN. “I’m ready to go. A lot of work going into this, a lot of training. I win by any means necessary.” The British boxers are expected to take the ring in front of a sold-out crowd of 96,000 fans. Keep reading for ways to watch online. The Joshua vs. Dubois fight will be available to stream on PPV.com and DAZN for $19.99. Live coverage starts at 11 a.m. ET for viewers in the U.S., but if you feel like sleeping in, the main event is scheduled to start at around 2 p.m. ET on Saturday. Ring walks will start at around 5 p.m. ET. Besides the marquee fight, there are several other boxing matches on the undercard including Joshua Buatsi vs. Willy Hutchinson for the interim WBO light heavyweight title. The fight card also features Tyler Denny vs. Hamzah Sheeraz in a bout for the European middleweight title, Anthony Cacace vs. Josh Warrington for the super featherweight title, Josh Kelly vs. Ishmael Davis in a middleweight fight and Josh Padley vs. Mark Chamberlain in a lightweight fight.
The Joshua vs. Dubois fight was a spectacle that went beyond the boxing ring, capturing the attention of fans and observers alike. It was a night of high-stakes sporting action, unexpected moments, and glimpses into the world of professional boxing.
