DANIEL DUBOIS wrecked Anthony Joshua’s hopes of a dream career ending with a right-hander for the ages.

Dynamite Dan detonated a fifth-round shot — after dropping AJ three times in the previous four rounds — to keep his IBF world title and ruin AJ’s dream spring mega-fight with Tyson Fury.

20Dubois beat AJ to the punchCredit: Mark Robinson20A battered Joshua failed to beat the countCredit: AFP20AJ’s brave effort was over after being felled four times in totalCredit: Getty20Anthony Joshua was brutally knocked out by Daniel DuboisCredit: PA20AJ threw an uppercut as Dubois landed the finishing rightCredit: AFP

They were five of the most brilliant rounds imaginable.

Joshua, 34 was cooked from the very start, dazed and confused, bouncing about the ring and then sticking his tongue out and trying to showboat. But it wasn’t funny — and it was potentially the end of an era.

It was also the crowning of 27-year-old Dubois as bona fide world champion and a menace for all of the other heavyweights to now fear.

There was no brotherly glove lost between the two Londoners.

And there was none on show when Liam Gallagher appeared to do a three-song set without newly reunited Noel — so this Idler’s Dream was dashed and it was back to work.

The last sprinkle of showbiz was a rerun of the Guy ­Ritchie-directed promo that launched the mega-money 96,000 Wembley sell-out.

Dubois played the role of a torture victim, strapped into a freezing bath where bloodthirsty gangsters electrocute him with jump leads.

But now he was really going in the deep end to see sparks fly — lock stock and two smoking biceps.20Joshua was floored in round one in a thrilling start to the boutCredit: Reuters20AJ kept getting up from the deck in front of 96,000 stunned fansCredit: Getty20Joshua looks to the ref after being droppedCredit: Getty

The biggest headline of the fight-week build-up was Dubois’ new trainer Don Charles vanishing for the most critical days of Dynamite Dan’s career.

Thankfully Charles did appear, entering the ring with his charge with dad perched on the outside of the red corner.

But when AJ emerged second — a ­baffling move considering he was the challenger — it was to the Godfather theme tune.

It seemed like Dubois needed back-up against the family.

But he made a mockery of that plot from the off.

After the 27-year-old took control of the fight from the very first bell with a great jab, he made the older man look like the challenger he was — the man who should have been made to come first and wait in the ropes.

Then — with 16 seconds of the opening round left — Dubois looked right over to his father and it looked like he was having daddy issues.

But he then unleashed a right hand that almost knocked AJ spark out.

Joshua collapsed to the floor and looked utterly doomed.

It was a miracle he rose again and made the second on dodgy legs.

The second instalment didn’t start any better for Joshua either.

20A big right hand comes in from DuboisCredit: Getty20Joshua fought back bravelyCredit: Reuters20Dubois did not take his foot off the gasCredit: PA

Dubois was landing every jab he threw and AJ’s legs were back in Watford, it was like the Andy Ruiz horror show being replayed.

But he rallied and recovered — catching Dubois with a right hand that he had to eat.

Dubois started the third with a crisp one-two and AJ was like a ­rabbit in the headlights, staggering around.

But Joshua scored with an uppercut that suggested he was easing into the fight.

Then Dubois threw a left hook that robbed AJ of all of his senses — and a count from outside the ring started.

Ref Marcus McDonnell ignored that call.

Then Dubois battered him more and more and he collapsed into the ropes and was hauled up for a standing eight count.

As soon as the fourth started Joshua was decked and counted again — but he moaned he had merely slipped.

Even so, that was three floorings in the opening four rounds. A slaughter.

Then Joshua was down again and that time it was judged to be a slip — and not counted.

20The right hand that ended it allCredit: Reuters20AJ was left all over the placeCredit: AFP

It was almost slapstick and when AJ resorted to sticking his tongue out, to show he was having fun, we knew he was in total hell.

Then, suddenly, Dubois looked finished.

AJ teed off and kept whacking him and Dubois looked seconds from quitting again or collapsing.

But then came the punch that might have ended AJ’s elite level career.

Dubois dug deeper than ever and landed the most vicious right hand imaginable.

20Liam Gallagher performed before the main eventCredit: PA20Maya Jama was also present in the 96,000-strong crowd at WembleyCredit: Getty20Oleksandr Usyk carried his heavyweight belts with him as he watched the fightCredit: Getty20Tyson Fury had a seat in the front rowCredit: Getty

AJ was annihilated. The ref made a mistake in even starting a count. It was over.

The Fury fight was probably blown and AJ’s dream of being a three-time world champion was in flames.

In June when the pair of London Adonises met to launch the fight, AJ threatened to “smash this f***ing chair over your face”.

Dubois never backed down and security had to separate them.

But from there it seemed AJ’s old violent streak had been reignited and he revealed a loudmouth down the pub the week before had sparked his spiteful side into gear — just in time to face Dubois.

But it was DDD — who entered dressed like Mike Tyson — who only needed his fists to smash AJ into the Wembley canvas.

20Dubois defied the oddsCredit: Getty20There was mutual respect shown between the twoCredit: Getty