(Queensberry Promotions)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – Daniel Dubois dramatically recovered from two heavy knockdowns to inflict the first defeat of Fabio Wardley’s remarkable career and win the WBO heavyweight title in what may prove the fight of the year.
In the first defence of his title Wardley’s right eye was swollen shut and his nose heavily cut and bleeding and yet despite absorbing consistent punishment from one of the world’s biggest punchers he remained upright until the referee Howard Foster was forced to intervene in the 11th round.
Wardley has risen from white-collar boxing to become one of the world’s leading and entertaining heavyweights, but partly as a consequence of the injuries he suffered he struggled against the more polished and powerful Dubois, and required rescuing before Foster acted 28 seconds into the 11th.
At the conclusion of his most recent contest, in July 2025 against Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed title, Dubois was accused of quitting in the fifth round. He then replaced his trainer Don Charles with Tony Sims, spent months training under Sims without fighting, and left Sims and rehired Charles once again.
The perception of a chaotic career created partly by the house party he attended on the day of the loss to Usyk was therefore enhanced further, and yet it was under Charles – after the first of his defeats by the Ukrainian – against Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua that he recorded his finest wins.
In every way in which the 28-year-old Dubois had been groomed for greatness, Wardley has made his way to world level against considerable odds. Either side of Usyk-Dubois II he came from behind to stop both the undefeated Justis Huni and then the former world champion Joseph Parker, and it is for that reason – specifically the heart he showed that Dubois has sometimes lacked – that he had been more widely favoured to win.
The reality remained that their match-up – a classic heavyweight shootout – was even more widely expected to be settled by who would be first to land their heavy right hand and, for all of the doubts surrounding Dubois’ mentality, he proved the more physically gifted.
He perhaps looked nervous on his way to the ring, but provided a response to those questioning him in the way he not only twice returned to his feet to carry on but resisted further punishment and exhaustion to win what is certain to be remembered as a classic…
2026-05-09 23:48:21
