Joyce won that fight by TKO after causing significant damage to Dubois' eye. He repeatedly landed stiff jabs on Dubois' face, eventually fracturing his eye socket. Dubois took a knee and was counted out, leading some to accuse him of quitting.
Since that loss, Dubois has rebuilt his career impressively. He's won tough fights against Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic, becoming the IBF heavyweight champion. In September, he knocked out Anthony Joshua to retain his belt.
Joyce's career has taken a different path. After beating Dubois, he secured wins over Carlos Takam and became the first to stop Joseph Parker. But he's struggled recently, losing twice to Zhilei Zhang and dropping a points decision to Derek Chisora in July last year.
Despite their different trajectories, Joyce still has respect for Dubois' power. In an interview with the Daily Mail, Joyce said:
"Like you see Dubois, he's got phenomenal power. But I had to be static for him to hit me. If I'm moving around it's harder to get the full power going to land a shot."
Joyce's comments suggest that while Dubois packs a punch, movement can neutralize his power. That's valuable insight from someone who's been in the ring with the current champ.
At 39 years old, Joyce isn't slowing down. He's gearing up for a crucial fight this weekend against Filip Hrgovic. A loss for either fighter could be critical at this stage of their careers.
Meanwhile, Dubois might be heading for a rematch with Oleksandr Usyk this summer. Usyk is the only other fighter to have beaten Dubois, and their potential undisputed fight is in negotiation.
As the heavyweight division continues to evolve, both Joyce and Dubois will play crucial roles. Their 2020 fight remains a pivotal moment in both careers, shaping their paths to where they are today.