It was long after midnight but he was still bare-chested. The Lonsdale belt over his shoulder. Erect as a tall ship's mast. A throwback to the future.

Daniel Dubois is carved from the historic oak of British heavyweight boxing champions but already setting full sail from Greenwich towards the world title.

At a mere 21, Dynamite Daniel had just made the most explosive arrival on the firmament of the prize-ring since Iron Mike.

Daniel Dubois lifts the Lonsdale belt after defeating domestic rival Nathan Gorman

Not since the young Tyson burst on the scene has there been such a heavyweight frisson as the buzz which coursed through the 02 arena late this Saturday night.

The British title is but a foothold on the mountain but when it is planted with such emphatic menace as the blows with which Dubois felled a gallant Nathan Gorman inside five rounds there can be no denying the impact.

Frank Bruno, who was in attendance, Lennox Lewis and Anthony Joshua all made a mark when winning this belt but this performance by Dubois transcended the advent of even of those eventual world champions.

What makes this optimism all the more valid is that this young man is so wonderfully old-fashioned in his absolute dedication to this hardest of games and so single-minded of purpose. All that in addition to a malicious intent to inflict grievous harm with every punch which is brutally reminiscent of Tyson, albeit in this case not a trait carried outside the ring.

Gorman sustained a cut above his left eye after Dubois landed a clubbing right hand

There is no arrogance in Dubois, simply a quiet certainty about his destiny. Ask him how soon he might achieve his world championship and he ponders a moment says: 'Hopefully within 18 months. Like next year. Two or three more fights.' Which would mean in only his 14th or 15th professional fight.

But as his promoter Frank Warren says of 'the most exciting prospect' of his career: 'Although he's young he's not one of these newcomers who didn't start until he was 18. He was born into a fighting family and he's been boxing since he was six.'

Nor will any of this go to the Dubois head. As he finally set off on the short journey home – he joked about 'going by helicopter this time instead of the bus' - he said: 'There won't be any sleep tonight.' But he wouldn't be up all night at some club. He hastened to add: 'We'll be celebrating at home. All the family. Give the belt to my dad for all he's done for me. Then lots of junk food. Pizzas all round. Back in the gym this week and back in the ring in a few weeks.'

Head high but feet on the ground, although he did recognise this: 'I suppose there aren't many young heavyweights in the world producing these kind of fireworks.'

Dubois knocked Gorman down for the second and final time in round five at the O2 Arena

Warren has yet to decide who the next candidate for bedazzlement will be, in September, but 'expect another step up.'

Not that Gorman, who was also unbeaten coming in, was a soft touch. Although Dubois proved unstoppable, the Nantwich traveller hit back when he could and provided a litmus test for another of the new champion's strengths – his chin.

Dubois also confirmed that he is not only about concussive punching power. A ramrod left jab provided the platform for a second-round knock-down and then the fifth-round onslaught of massive rights from which there was no recovery.

Dynamite Daniel Dubois, as he is dubbed, was likened by the ring announcer to Triple G, namely the great Gennady Golovkin.

'Triple D,' then? One thing's for sure. An A-list star is born.