Fabio Wardley somehow stayed on his feet against a sustained onslaught from Daniel Dubois before referee Howard Foster stopped the action in the eleventh round.
The Manchester main event delivered on its hype, producing one of the most brutal heavyweight battles in years. Defending champion Wardley scored two knockdowns early, but Dubois handled them well and took charge with a ramrod jab and increasingly accurate power shots.
By the ninth round, Wardley was bloodied, swollen and unsteady on his legs. His incredible heart carried him, but, save for a few haymakers, it was one-way traffic from Dubois.
The fight turned from thrilling to uncomfortable as the Ipswich man continued to ship punishment, and most felt he should have been pulled out when he stumbled from his stool to begin the tenth, even despite his talent to end fights at any moment.
Hall of Fame fighter Barry McGuigan, whose son Shane trained Dubois for a portion of his career, felt Wardley’s team had a responsibility to end it as early as the eighth.
“Absolutely, the corner should have pulled him out at least 3 rounds before the stoppage. Don’t believe Wardley will ever be the same fighter again, that was an unbelievably exhausting and draining fight, and he absorbed a terrifying amount of punishment because he was so brave.”
Absolutely, the corner should have pulled him out at least 3 rounds before the stoppage. Dont believe Wardley will ever be the same fighter again, that was an unbelievably exhausting and draining fight and he absorbed a terrifying amount of punishment because he was so brave. https://t.co/wzHaF3Lsmt
— Barry McGuigan (@ClonesCyclone) May 10, 2026
Wardley was stitched up backstage before leaving for the hospital. It was revealed post-fight that he has a rematch clause to force a second fight, however that will depend on his recovery and the smartest plan going forward.
As for Dubois, the 29-year-old is now a two-time heavyweight world champion who has answered any questions about his resilience in the ring. Outside of a Wardley rematch, there are plenty of good options for his first defence.
