Daniel Dubois climbed off the canvas twice before overwhelming Fabio Wardley in an 11th-round stoppage to claim the WBO world heavyweight title in Manchester on Saturday night. The 28-year-old, who had been written off as a quitter after previous defeats, demonstrated immense resolve in a brutal contest that has been hailed as an instant classic.
Wardley, the previously unbeaten champion, caught Dubois with a heavy shot just 10 seconds into the opening bell, sending him to the floor. Dubois rose but was knocked down again in the fourth round. His trainer, Don Charles, slapped him across the face before the round to rouse him. 'I needed that slap just to wake up, to stay in reality,' Dubois said. 'As a warrior you have to dig deep, go to that dark place and come out on top.'
From that point, Dubois dominated the remainder of the fight, landing punishing blows that left Wardley's face masked in blood. Despite shipping heavy punishment, the 31-year-old never went down and continued fighting until referee Howard Foster stepped in early in the 11th round. Dubois praised his opponent, calling him 'a tough cookie' and 'a live dog'.
For Dubois, the victory was deeply personal. He had been accused of quitting in his loss to Joe Joyce in 2020 and again against Oleksandr Usyk last summer. Rather than take an easy comeback, he chose to challenge the undefeated Wardley. 'I was a bit nervy, a bit all over the place at the start,' Dubois admitted. 'But I pulled it together and got the victory.'
Promoter Frank Warren, reflecting on the fight, said: 'I think this is my 48th year in the business and for me it was humbling to watch these two guys. It was amazing.' Dubois's trainer, Don Charles, added: 'No human being on the planet could ever question this kid again. The fight had everything, and so much drama, for the neutrals.'
