Fabio Wardley lost his WBO world heavyweight title and suffered his first career defeat as a brutal encounter with Daniel Dubois was stopped in the 11th round at Co-op Live in Manchester this evening.
Wardley, 31, started like a house on fire, knocking Dubois down in the first three rounds. However, the longer the fight progressed, the more the challenger got on top with Wardley’s right eye swollen and his nose dripping with blood.
The Chantry fighter somehow stayed on his feet - with some pundits suggesting the contest should have been ended rounds earlier - until the start of the 11th round when the referee stepped in after Dubois, 28, had caught Wardley with a right hand.
"It was a war,” Dubois said following the fight. "We came through the sticky moments. Thank you Fabio for that, thank you. What a great fight, what a great battle, man.”
Wardley spoke to his family from the ring, reassuring them he was OK: "I’m all right, I’m all right.”
Frank Warren, promoter of both boxers, confirmed that the two could well meet again.
"There is a rematch clause in the contract,” he said. "These two guys showed such heart. Great heart. Chins. It was an amazing fight. Absorbing. It had everything, exciting. The best heavyweight fight I’ve ever put on.”
Wardley’s first defeat comes in his 22nd fight, while Dubois, previously holder of the WBA version of the heavyweight title from 2022 to 2023 and the IBF belt from 2024 to 2025, has won 23 of his 26 fights.
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