Daniel Dubois completed his latest resurgence with brutal efficiency when he stopped Fabio Wardley early in the 11th round to become the WBO world heavyweight champion. The fight, a dramatic and blood-soaked contest, saw referee Howard Foster intervene 28 seconds into the penultimate round after Wardley's face became a mask of blood from a badly cut and broken nose.
Both fighters emerged with enormous credit after an epic battle. Dubois was knocked down twice in the fight, including 10 seconds after the opening bell, but he came back with commendable resolve. Working behind his thunderous jab, Dubois sank one blow after another into the steadily sagging figure of Wardley. However, the 31-year-old from Ipswich, who suffered the first loss of his career, simply refused to surrender or go down at any point.
Dubois had turned up late to the venue due to clogged Manchester traffic, a contrast to his previous fight against Oleksandr Usyk where his late arrival was preceded by a party. He walked to the ring looking concentrated and full of malevolent intent, while Wardley, wearing a shimmering blue robe in honour of Ipswich Town, appeared composed.
A huge roundhouse punch from Wardley floored a stunned Dubois with the first punch of the fight, but Dubois rose and fought back. In round three, Dubois was dumped on the seat of his trunks again by another heavy right hand, but he roared back. The next seven rounds became a testament to Wardley's courage as he absorbed punishment, with his face swollen from the fifth round and his nose bleeding profusely.
In the eighth round, Dubois continued to pummel Wardley, who was pinned against the ropes with rickety legs. The ringside doctor examined Wardley twice before the merciful stoppage in the 11th round. Dubois proved he was the superior technician and showed his heart, dispelling past criticisms of being a quitter.
