Fabio Wardley has confirmed he has no plans to retire from boxing, just weeks after suffering a second consecutive knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois. The 31-year-old responded to mounting calls for him to step away from the sport by posting a compilation of pundits and fighters urging him to quit, captioned: "The show goes on!"
Back-to-back defeats
Wardley lost his WBO heavyweight title to Dubois in their first meeting in May, before being stopped again by his fellow countryman last month. Despite dropping Dubois twice in the opening clash, Wardley was beaten before the fight ended in the penultimate round. He then chose to activate his rematch clause immediately, against the advice of many.
Their second encounter lasted only two rounds, prompting several figures in the boxing community to urge the Suffolk fighter to take a step back from the sport. Wardley, who rose from white-collar boxing to become world champion, now faces an uncertain future over who he could fight next.
Rival's advice
Speaking after the rematch, champion Filip Hrgovic, who watched ringside, told Wardley to end his career. "I think [Wardley] should retire," Hrgovic said. "He didn't look good. He made a bunch of money, he did a miracle, and he became a world champion … [but] he should retire and enjoy [life]."
Hrgovic, who lost to Dubois two years ago, added: "I think Wardley was still damaged from the first fight. He didn't look good from the first bell. I wasn't impressed with him. I'm the future undisputed champion. I will smash Dubois in a rematch and I'm coming for the belts."
Wardley's response
Wardley, who was aiming to become a two-time world champion in the sequel, has not changed his mind a little over a month on. Speaking immediately after the loss, he outlined his intention to carry on fighting. "Preparation, for me, wasn't ideal and Daniel learned the most from the first fight and came out with a better game plan," he said.
"That's all it was. I lost. It is what it is. Daniel is a testament to losing, coming back, and winning the world title for a second time. And I'll be looking to do the same thing."
