Daniel Dubois was once floored three times in the first round and then stormed back to win by KO five minutes later

Daniel Dubois once dragged himself off the canvas three times to score a stunning knockout victory over Kevin Lerena.

‘Triple D’ survived an early scare against the South African in December 2022 that could have changed the course of his career.

At the time, Dubois had the WBA ‘regular’ belt and was making the first defence of the lesser trinket title against Lerena on the Tyson Fury vs Derek Chisora III undercard.

Dubois’ night got off to a disastrous start when he was sent tumbling to the canvas by the South African challenger in the opening two minutes.

On the way down, Dubois hyperextend his knee, causing him to tear his ACL.

As he made his way back to his feet, it was clear he was having trouble with his balance.

Looking unsteady on his legs, Dubois touched down two more times in the first round before being saved by the bell.

On the stool, there were clear signs of discomfort on his face.

But in the second stanza, he rebounded well and began to gain a foothold in the contest.

Heading into the third frame, the British puncher stepped up the tempo and decked Lerena with a crisp right hand.

Sensing his moment, Dubois jumped on Lerena following the knockdown and stopped him against the ropes with a blistering combination.

In the immediate aftermath, Dubois said: “It was amazing, he hit me on the top of the head and I felt like I hurt my knee but I’ve got the heart of a warrior.”

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Dubois’ heart was a point of contention at the time.

After seeing out a count on one knee against Joe Joyce in 2020 in the first – and at that point only – defeat of his professional career, several members of the boxing fraternity branded Dubois a ‘quitter’.

His detractors only became louder when he did the same against Oleksandr Usyk – eight months after snatching victory from the jaws of defeat against Lerena.

But a pair of gutsy wins over Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic went a long way in shifting that narrative.

By defeating Hrgovic, Dubois was awarded the IBF ‘interim’ title, which was later upgraded to the full world title when Usyk vacated the red and gold strap to pursue a rematch with Fury.

On Saturday night, Dubois successfully defended his belt by knocking out Anthony Joshua in round five in front of a packed-out Wembley Stadium.

The win has propelled him to heights that previously seemed untenable a couple of years ago when Dubois laboured past Lerena.

Yet he now finds himself in a primed position to challenge for undisputed supremacy against whoever emerges victorious between Fury and Usyk on December 21.

A reminder of how quickly things can change in boxing.