Daniel Dubois is the new WBO heavyweight world champion after stopping Fabio Wardley in the eleventh round tonight in Manchester.
The fight will go down as one of the most brutal heavyweight contests in British boxing history. Dubois (23-3, 22 KOs) becomes a two-weight world champion after relinquishing his IBF belt to Oleksandr Uysk last summer. Wardley (20-1-1, 19 KOs) records his first career defeat after a short reign as champion. Promoter Frank Warren told DAZN after the fight that “there is a rematch clause.”
However, Dubois had a disastrous start and was down from a flash right hand in the opening seconds. He did seem to get his legs back, but would throw Wardley down to the canvas illegally in an earlier sign of desperation. Wardley took back control, landing a straight right followed by a right uppercut. Dubois continued to try and establish his jab, but Wardley’s energy and spitefulness predicted a quick fight.
Dubois pressed forward to start the second, and was able to avoid two big right hands from Wardley. However, Dubois was still a little hesitant due to the early knockdown. Dubois did well to regroup, arguably nicking the round which ended with both men landing good jabs.
Dubois pushed Wardley to the ropes, landing a good right to the head in the opening minute of the third. However, Dubois was down again after a delayed retreat to his knee from a clubbing right hand to the side of the head halfway through the session. Dubois was up on his feet to little struggle, and again, regrouped well to see the end of the round.
A big right from Dubois landed on Wardley’s chin inside the opening minute of round four, but Wardley’s chin held up. Despite his second knockdown, Dubois responded well again. Landing multiple big right hands to take the round.
Dubois started the fight well, catching Wardley off balance with a calm left jab. Wardley was loading up to land a knockout right hand, but was widely missing the target. As the round progressed, Dubois’ jab had found a happy home on Wardley’s face, knocking his gum shield at one point. It was another round banked for the Londoner against an increasingly predictable Wardley.
The pace slowed a little in the third with Dubois continuing to build on the previous two rounds. Blood was pouring from the nose and mouth of Wardley and was close to being stopped as the round closed. The champion appeared out on his feet as Dubois rained down big shots to the head, with the bell coming to Wardley’s rescue.
Dubois continued his dominance into round seven as Wardley’s chin continued to hold. Wardley’s nose was splattered across his face and continued to land enormous right hands to the chin. Wardley hung in there, fighting back to land sparring shots. However, Dubois had taken firm control.
Wardley ate another right hand while backed into the corner, the champion was in desperate need of response. It would come in the eighth round, showing real poise and composure to consume another three minutes in his favor.
By round nine Wardley had not won a round since he scored his second knockdown in round three. Wardley was given a check by the ringside doctor before the round commenced as his nose and eye was showing little definition. Wardley would roar back showing remarkable bravery to land a good uppercut, but would appear out on his feet from another huge right hand. It was Remarkable Wardley had not hit the canvas.
Wardley was given another look over by the doctor and referee Howard Foster to start round the, but was given the green light to defend his title. Wardley went searching for another knockdown punch, but he was clearly exhausted and struggling as commentator Carl Frampton called on Wardley’s corner to throw in the towel. Dubois landed another huge blow to the chin as the bell rang.
The end finally came for a depleted Wardley at the start of the eleventh, but to his credit he stayed on his feet. With his opponent’s eye closed shut, Dubois cut off the ring to land another big right to the chin to force the referee to give Wardley his first defeat.
“It was a war,” Dubois said post fight with DAZN. “Thank you for that Fabio.”
