Daniel Dubois rose from the canvas twice to become a two-time heavyweight world champion after defeating Fabio Wardley in a brutal all-British showdown here last night.
It looked like it was going to be a short night as former IBF champion Dubois was floored for the first time after just 10 seconds at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena — and he went down again soon after as Wardley dominated the opening three rounds.
But the 28-year-old got back up — and the momentum of the fight soon began to swing as Dubois announced himself back in the big time.
Wardley, who was unbeaten going into the fight, took some heavy shots and his nose was split open but he refused to give up and fought on bravely before finally being stopped in the 11th round.
Dubois said: ‘It was a war. Thank you Fabio for that. I know I’ve got heart, I’m a warrior in there. I had to get back up (after 10 seconds) and come back harder. We move on now. Thank god for this victory.
‘I had to use all my skills. I’m No 1 again. Fabio’s a durable guy, a great warrior. It was an honour to be in the ring with him.’
Daniel Dubois came back from two knockdowns to defeat British rival Fabio Wardley
Dubois can now look forward to bigger fights ahead. He could face Wardley again as in the immediate aftermath of his win promotor Frank Warren said there was a rematch clause in the contract for the fight.
He added: ‘These two guys showed such heart. It was an amazing fight, absorbing. It had everything. The best heavyweight fight I’ve ever put on.
‘Let the dust settle and then we’ll see (what happens next). Fabio is a brave and gutsy (man).’
Three unanswered strikes in the building next door were enough to keep the local football team in their championship race, albeit not sufficient to deliver a knock-out blow to their title rivals.
Expectations for a concussive explosion come nightfall in the Co-Op Live Arena were rampant. The prospect of two of the mightiest hitters in the prize-ring both remaining upright through the 12 rounds of their WBO title fight found few if any takers at the bookies.
Wardley and Dubois travelled north having despatched more than 90 per cent of their victims to la-la land.
Fabio, the smooth talker, racked up several of his KOs by staying alert and resilient no matter how long it took him to land the telling punch. As he did when coming from behind against Joseph Parker to tee up his WBO title.
Dubois celebrates his heavyweight title victory after doing the business in Manchester
Daniel, the quiet man, prefers to waste as little time as possible when disposing of opponents. As he did when dropping Anthony Joshua four times inside five rounds to not only win the IBF belt but to send shockwaves through boxing.
The blood lust filled the place to its 23,500 capacity. The punters admire the Noble Artists but how they love the executioner. Especially in a Battle of Britain. Manchester had sent the Prime Minister packing to Westminster the previous day but this city turned out in force to watch a Suffolk slugger and a London hit-man go at each other.
It even provided a thunderstorm in mid-afternoon by way of a curtain-raiser for the lightning to come.
At 18st, Dubois was the heaviest of his career. Bulkier even then when he steamrollered Joshua.
There was a hint of the extra poundage around his waist, Would that generate even more power? Wardley did not wait to find out. He connected with the first haymaker within 10 seconds and dropped his challenger to the canvas. Dubois rose and the heavy artillery had both of them rocking.
In the second round, Dubois rolled out his jab and the stiffest of them led to Wardley wobbling.
Boom, another belter from Wardley put Dubois down again. Up he got to shake Wardley. This is what it said on the tin and then some.
Now it was Wardley eating the big rights and some left jabs as both fighters threw big punches.
The Dubois left jab was beginning to reap further dividends as Wardley’s right eye swelled up. Dubois was getting up the head of steam in the exchanges now as momentum began to shift.
Dubois smelt blood and launched a massive barrage. Wardley reeled from ropes to ropes but somehow survived as referee Howard Foster took a worried look at him.
The pounding brought blood pouring from Wardley’s nose in the seventh round. Inside and out. Heroically he fought back while staggering and the referee saved him by mistakenly stopping the round early.
Wardley — semi-conscious — fought on to take the contest into an eighth round and went beyond the call of duty as he lurched from pain to agony.
Referee Howard Foster stepped in during the 11th round to finally stop Saturday night’s fight
But he still found the energy to strike back and rock Dubois.
At the end of the round, the referee took a look at Wardley’s wounds. He decided the contest should go on.
But before the 10th, Wardley stumbled into the centre of the ring and a doctor had to intervene to ensure the Ipswich fighter could continue. It was becoming hard to watch.
Still the contest went on. And incredibly, Wardley was still swinging big punches.
Maybe he was too brave for his own good.
The bell saved Wardley, who was by now struggling to look out of his right eye.
God knows how many blows Wardley had taken. Even the jabs were now sending him back onto the ropes.
The referee finally took pity on Wardley 28 seconds into the 11th as he stopped the slaughter. Perhaps it should have been stopped earlier.
