The biggest boxing attendances in history following Daniel Dubois vs Anthony Joshua

On September 21, 2024, a record post-war British boxing crowd of 96,000 rocked up to Wembley to see Dubois knock Joshua to the canvas four times in a five round contest.

So with that big clash now in the history books, Planet Sport takes a look at the biggest boxing attendances of all-time.

Many people believe the famous Rumble in the Jungle had a huge attendance, but only 60,000 people were in the crowd to see Muhammad Ali beat George Foreman in the eighth round, so it doesn't make our list.

 

11) Anthony Joshua vs Joseph Parker (2018)

Attendance: 75,000 at the Principality Stadium, Cardiff

Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker collided in a heavyweight unification in Wales with the WBA, IBF and WBO straps on the line.

Despite taking Joshua the full 12 rounds - the first time in his professional career - Parker barely troubled the 2012 Olympic gold-medallist and Joshua won via unanimous decision.

 

10) Carl Froch vs George Groves 2 (2014)

Attendance: 80,000 at Wembley Stadium, London

The rematch fans demanded after Carl Froch won a controversial first fight in November 2013.

Froch would win the second encounter, silencing the critics with a stunning knockout which won Ring Magazine's KO of the Year for 2014.

9) Anthony Joshua vs Wladimir Klitschko (2017)

Attendance: 90,000 at Wembley Stadium, London

This fight was regarded as one of the best heavyweight contests of the century, as both men hit the canvas inside the opening five rounds.

However, Wladimir Klitschko was unable to pull the trigger and end proceedings in round six.

Anthony Joshua regrouped and knocked out heavyweight's longest-reigning world champion in the penultimate round.

 

8) Len Harvey vs Jock McAvoy (1939)

Attendance: 90,000 at White City, London

According to reports it was a close fight to call but Len Harvey got the nod over Jock McAvoy on points.

 

7) Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte (2022)

Attendance: 94,000 at Wembley, London

Fury was treated to a hero's welcome by a 94,000 capacity crowd and largely dictated the tempo before ending proceedings in devastating fashion.

A vicious uppercut caught Whyte flush on the chin before he was disdainfully pushed over on to his back, and while the mandatory challenger beat the count, referee Mark Lyson waved off the fight.

 

6) Daniel Dubois vs Anthony Joshua

Attendance: 98,128 at Wembley, London

The biggest post-war fight on British soil in boxing history. Anthony Joshua’s career rebuild suffered a devastating setback after he collapsed to a brutal fifth-round knockout by Daniel Dubois.

Fighting with the aim of setting up a clash with the winner of Tyson Fury’s rematch with Oleksandr Usyk in December, Joshua was instead dominated from start to finish and was floored four times.

Dubois spoke of his determination to “legitimise” his reign as IBF champion after being given the belt which Usyk vacated in June and he did exactly that with a destructive display that could signal the end of Joshua’s career.

 

5) Max Schmelling vs Walter Neusel (1934)

Attendance: 102,000 at Sandbahn Lokstedt, Hamburg

4) Jack Dempsey vs Gene Tunney 2 (1927)

Attendance: 104,943 at Soldier Field, Chicago

'Long Count' was the name because of the delayed count for Dempsey in the seventh round of their first fight by the referee. Tunney went on to win via unanimous decision.

 

3) Jack Dempsey vs Gene Tunney 1 (1926)

Attendance: 120,757 at Soldier Field, Chicago

It became the third fight to earn more than $1million at the gate and for 15 years held the number one spot for the biggest attendance. Jack Dempsey's purse was $770,000 while Gene Tunney was paid $200,000.

Tunney would go on to dominate the fight with Dempsey controversially avoiding a 10-count in round seven for failing to go and remain in a neutral corner.

New York's Tunney won via unanimous decision. The surprising victory saw Tunney win Ring Magazine's Upset of the Year.

 

2) Julio Cesar Chavez vs Greg Haugen (1993)

Attendance: 132,274 at Azteca Stadium, Mexico City

Mexico's Chavez defended his WBC super lightweight title in front of more than 130,000 fans in attendance and won the bout inside five rounds. In all honesty, it was a brutal beating.

1) Tony Zale vs Billy Pryor (1941)

Attendance: 135,132 at Juneau Park, Milwaukee

Tony Zale and Billy Pryor are the two fighters who still hold the record for boxing's biggest attendance although it was a non-paying crowd.

Zale successfully defended his middleweight title, knocking him down eight times before the fight eventually got stopped in the ninth round.

 

Read more: 50 facts you may not know about Muhammad Ali