Daniel Dubois stops Fabio Wardley in bloody epic to win WBO heavyweight title

"Daniel Dubois completed his latest resurgence with brutal efficiency when he became the WBO world heavyweight champion after stopping Fabio Wardley early in the 11th round of a dramatic and blood-soaked contest. Howard Foster, whose pale blue shirt had turned crimson as if he worked in an abattoir rather than in a boxing ring as a referee, jumped between the courageous fighters to rescue Wardley 28 seconds into the penultimate round. It was a merciful stoppage because the fallen champion, with his face a mask of blood pouring from his badly cut and broken nose, had been examined twice before by the ringside doctor."

"Dubois was knocked down twice in the fight, and dropped for the first time 10 seconds after the opening bell, but he came back with commendable resolve. He also proved he was the superior technician as, working behind his thunderous jab, Dubois sank one brutal blow after another into the steadily sagging figure of Wardley. But the 31-year-old from Ipswich, who suffered the first loss of his career, simply refused to surrender or even go down at any point during this riveting battle."

"Dubois had turned up late to the venue. Last July, when he was crushed in his most recent fight by Oleksandr Usyk in five rounds, Dubois's belated arrival at Wembley Stadium was preceded by a party he and his father held at the family home a few hours earlier. It was a disastrous slice of frippery and Dubois was given a pitiless lesson in the realities of heavyweight boxing by the majestic Usyk. The latest Dubois delay, however, was blamed on the clogged Manchester traffic."

Daniel Dubois won the WBO world heavyweight championship by stopping Fabio Wardley early in the 11th round. Wardley was rescued 28 seconds into the penultimate round after being examined twice by the ringside doctor. The contest featured heavy punishment and dramatic momentum shifts, with Dubois knocked down twice and dropping for the first time 10 seconds after the opening bell. Dubois recovered and used a thunderous jab to land repeated brutal shots as Wardley’s condition steadily worsened. Wardley suffered his first career loss but showed resilience and refused to surrender. Dubois had arrived late to the venue, with earlier delays attributed to traffic and a prior late arrival linked to a family celebration before a loss to Oleksandr Usyk.

Read at www.theguardian.com