Daniel Dubois has expressed willingness to face Fabio Wardley again following a brutal heavyweight clash in Manchester that saw him claim the WBO heavyweight title. The victory marked Dubois’ second world championship reign, but it came after a grueling fight where he was knocked down twice before stopping Wardley in the 11th round.
Dubois stopped Wardley in the 11th round of an incredible heavyweight showdown, becoming a two-time world champion. Fight highlights courtesy of DAZN
Wardley could trigger a rematch clause to force a second bout with Dubois. Speaking after the fight, Dubois acknowledged he needs time to recover before considering another contest.
“I’m going to go on another good run – I need a nice rest now,” Dubois said. “I want to congratulate Fabio on a great fight. What a warrior he is, he’s a tough cookie. He took my shots and tested me. If the rematch happens, bring it on.”
The win over Wardley erased lingering doubts about Dubois, especially after his one-sided loss to Oleksandr Usyk in their rematch last year.
Don Charles, Dubois’ trainer who briefly parted ways with him after the Usyk defeat, praised his fighter’s resilience. “No human being on this planet could ever question this kid ever again. Certainly don’t question him in front of me. What he showed, he erased any doubt of all the negative talk. Because we were victorious, it’s almost like I’m glad the fight went that way so he could demonstrate this quitting narrative is not right. I think he ticked every box.”
Wardley dropped Dubois within the opening 10 seconds of the fight and sent him to the canvas again in the third round. Dubois admitted he started nervously but found his rhythm. “I was a bit nervy to start off with and a bit all over the place but I pulled it together and got the victory. I needed to get whacked, come back up, I felt like a warrior in there, digging deep and coming back. I wasn’t going to be denied. I owed my dad and the people in my corner and I couldn’t let them down.”
As the contest wore on, Dubois turned the momentum decisively in his favor. Wardley absorbed a fearful number of power punches, with his face badly marked up, but his toughness kept him upright until the referee intervened after the 10th round. It was a wildly exciting battle, prompting promoter Frank Warren to welcome a potential rematch.
“There’s nothing to complain about with this fight, it was a great fight, two unbelievable athletes who acted like sportsmen at the end. It’s a unique sport, boxing, and it’s filled with unique people,” Warren said.
