Joe Joyce beats rival Daniel Dubois with stunning stoppage victory in 10th round

Joe Joyce stopped Daniel Dubois in 10 rounds at Church House next to Westminster Abbey to wreck his coronation as boxing’s new heir apparent.

This was supposed to mark the moment when Dubois proved he is a heavyweight king in waiting.

But Joyce tore up that script to end Dubois’ unbeaten record and push his own world title claims.

Dubois went down onto a knee in the 10th when he did not appear to have been hit by Joyce and referee Ian John-Lewis counted him out.

It was a dramatic end to a gripping fight which ebbed and flowed with Dubois landing the heavier punches, but Joyce never giving up with his jab.

Dubois’ left eye was closed by the end of the fight in a sign of Joyce’s accuracy.

Joyce was ecstatic at the end and did his trademark cartwheel to celebrate the biggest win of his pro career.

His blind mum Marvel taunted Dubois after he had said she would be spared seeing her son lose to him.

Dubois’ victory was an upset and Dubois had been hotly fancied to win and continue his march to a world title shot.

But the 23-year-old must rebuild his career after suffering his first pro loss in 16 fights.

The first round was cagey as both fighters tied to establish their jab and Joyce just about edged it.

There was nothing cagey about Dubois in the second and he flew straight at Joyce, rocking him with a right before following that up with a powerful left.

Joyce tried to pin Dubois back on the end of his jab, but Dubois got through again with another stinging right.

Dubois hade more success in the third as he landed a left-right combination on Joyce’s chin near the end of the round.

This was an intriguing contest and Joyce found his range with his trusty jab again to take the fourth and Dubois’ left eye began to swell up.

Dubois’ punches carried more power and he knocked back Joyce’s head in the fifth with a jab before landing an overhand right.

Dubois’ trainer Martin Bowers worked overtime on his man’s damaged eye between rounds to try and stop it closing.

Sensing that he needed to step on the gas, Dubois started the seventh strongly and rocked Joyce back with another big right.

But the 2016 Olympic silver medallist weathered this storm and continued to utilise his longer reach to have success with his jab.

Then came the moment of drama in the 10th when Dubois dropped to the canvas on one knee.

He did not rise and John-Lewis counted him out after 36 seconds of the round.