MANCHESTER, England -- Daniel Dubois became a two-time heavyweight world champion Saturday, beating Fabio Wardley with a Round 11 stoppage to finish what was a brutal, pulsating clash.
The fight started in the worst possible way for Dubois (23-3, 22 KOs) after he was knocked to the canvas by a big Wardley right hand in the opening seconds.
The pair vowed to swing from the opening bell and meet in the middle to slug it out. They lived up to their promises.
Wardley looked to seize his moment, scoring another knockdown in Round 3 and had Dubois on shaky legs.
Coming into the fight as champion, Wardley was the favourite, and his journey from white-collar boxer to world champion was celebrated all week while the naturally quiet Dubois preferred to remain in the background.
However, Dubois recovered well from his poor start and his experience shone through.
He moved to work behind the stiff left jab which caused Anthony Joshua so many issues in their 2024 bout, which Dubois also won by knockout.
Seemingly against the odds, it started to work and the tide turned. Wardley's nose opened and blood flowed freely, spraying across the canvas as well as over both fighters and referee Howard Foster. Dubois continued to pump the jab and mixed in the right hand for good measure. Wardley kept swinging, but his right eye swelled thanks to those clubs from Dubois' left hand.
- Dubois scores Round 11 stoppage vs. Wardley - as it happened
What developed was one of the most dramatic, entertaining and bloody heavyweight battles in recent memory.
The pair, both as tough and durable as each other, traded shots in the all action affair they promised the sellout Co-Op Live crowd. Despite Wardley's best efforts and success at times, landing a couple more right hands through the middle rounds, Dubois remained composed and built combinations, which backed Wardley onto the ropes several times.
There were multiple occasions when Wardley's legs might finally give way, and he would follow his rival to the canvas, but it never happened.
In Round 11, referee Foster had seen enough with Wardley in the corner once more and waved the fight off.
Promoter Frank Warren, who before the fight boasted this would be the UK's version of the legendary 1985 bout between Americans Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns, said it was the best heavyweight bout he had staged and also confirmed there is a rematch clause.
Both fighters will likely need a lengthy layoff given the nature of the bout, but a rematch appears likely since fans were left wanting more.