Daniel Dubois says he claimed victory over Anthony Joshua before the fight even started.
Dubois knocked AJ out four times in the fifth round in front of a British record 98,000 fans.
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But the reigning IBF champion actually went out first – while he was defending the belt.
It didn’t matter, as Dubois got the win in the end – he knocked out Joshua after winning the ring walk battle.
he said talkSPORT“It’s not fair that the champion came in first, but at the end of the day, that was my mindset.
“We had a fantastic ring walk, it was perfect, the whole occasion, everything was huge.
“I was just enjoying it. We lit up the place when I was in the ring. That was the best ring walk, don’t you think?
“From the time I left the dressing room to the time I got in the ring, I was all about work.
“Once I was in the ring, it was like ‘there’s no looking back, it’s already begun’.”
Joshua, 34, was boxing in his sixth stadium bout, while for Dubois, 27, there has never been a better stage.
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But he said: “I wasn’t going to be shocked, I wasn’t nervous about the occasion.
“For me, walking in there was like a walk in the park, I had to be in the right mindset to go out there and do what I did.
“It makes everyone proud, my family, my dad, my team around me.
“I couldn’t let them down, I trained for this for months and I went to the gym every day, and hated what I was doing.
“But I did it, so there are no excuses … I’m always my biggest critic, so I look at where I can improve, but I’m proud.”
“I have done myself proud, I believe all the fights I have fought have been top level fights and I have been successful in them, so I am proud of myself.”
A rematch is now likely after Joshua refused to retire.
His promoter Eddie Hearn claimed there was a rematch provision, but his opponent Frank Warren argued he was not obligated to a second match.
But Dubois is still open, saying: “Yeah, if that happens down the road then yeah. If that happens down the road then yeah. I’m open to it.
Read more at The Scottish Sun
“I want to do even better next time. I know where I need to improve, so as a champion and a fighter I want to prove people wrong every time and that’s what we’re doing…
“I think I can do it, I can do it better than that. It was a great performance, but I think next time I’ll be more accurate. More sharp, everything.”
