In his first WBO heavyweight title defense, Fabio Wardley faced Knockout artist Daniel Dubois on May 9 at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester. The fight lived up to the expectations of the fans and probably exceeded them.
However, Wardley took too much damage in doing so and was stopped in the 11th round, losing his WBO title. Many pundits expressed concern for the 31-year-old and said it might shorten his career.
Now, Barry McGuigan has shared concern over the punishment Wardley absorbed during his brutal heavyweight clash.
The fight, already being labeled by many fans as an early “Fight of the Year” contender, saw both heavyweights repeatedly hurt each other across 11 dramatic rounds before Dubois eventually secured the stoppage victory.
Wardley started brilliantly and dropped Dubois within the opening seconds of the fight. He also forced Dubois to take a knee again in the third round following a massive right hand. However, after round three, momentum completely shifted.
Dubois made a huge comeback and began repeatedly landing heavy right hands and combinations on Wardley, backing him against the ropes and visibly damaging him round after round.
Dubois inflicted major damage on Wardley
As the fight continued, Wardley’s condition worsened significantly.
By the later rounds, his right eye was completely swollen shut, blood poured from his nose, and visible damage covered his face as Dubois continued landing powerful shots.
Many fans online believed the fight should have been stopped after round eight due to the punishment Wardley was taking and the condition of his eye.
Still, Wardley continued fighting back despite the damage and refused to stop throwing punches.
McGuigan says Wardley took too much punishment
Reacting on his X account after the heavyweight war, McGuigan described the fight as a brutal contest.
“Brutal slugfest, Wardley took a frightening amount of punishment,” McGuigan wrote.
A fan later asked whether Wardley’s corner should have stopped the fight earlier. McGuigan admitted he strongly believed they should have intervened sooner.
“Absolutely, the corner should have pulled him out at least 3 rounds before the stoppage,” McGuigan replied.
The former world champion also expressed concern about the long-term effects of the fight.
“Don’t believe Wardley will ever be the same fighter again,” he added.
Despite that, McGuigan praised Wardley’s bravery throughout the battle.
“That was an unbelievably exhausting and draining fight and he absorbed a terrifying amount of punishment because he was so brave.”
Absolutely, the corner should have pulled him out at least 3 rounds before the stoppage. Dont believe Wardley will ever be the same fighter again, that was an unbelievably exhausting and draining fight and he absorbed a terrifying amount of punishment because he was so brave. https://t.co/wzHaF3Lsmt
— Barry McGuigan (@ClonesCyclone) May 10, 2026
Part of the reason Wardley’s corner may have allowed the fight to continue was his history of overcoming adversity in previous fights.
The 31-year-old had previously battled back from difficult moments against opponents like Joseph Parker and Justis Huni, earning a reputation for surviving dangerous situations and turning fights around late.
That history may have given his team the belief that Wardley could once again recover and produce another dramatic comeback despite the visible damage and relentless pressure from Dubois.
