Saturday night in Manchester delivered a heavyweight thriller that had fans on the edge of their seats—and left many questioning whether the action should have been stopped sooner. Daniel Dubois overcame a shocking early knockdown to batter Fabio Wardley and claim the WBO heavyweight title in a contest now being called "fight of the year" by names like Noel Gallagher and Chris Eubank Jr.
Dubois was dropped just 10 seconds into the bout, but showed true champion's heart to rally back. By the second half of the fight, he was landing punishing blows that had Wardley in serious trouble. Ringside doctors twice inspected Wardley between rounds and allowed him to continue, but retired fighter Darren Barker was among those sounding the alarm.
"Save the man, he's a father, he's got a family—pull the plug on this one now," Barker urged on DAZN as Wardley stumbled from his stool at the start of the 10th round.
Former world champion Carl Frampton called Wardley "the bravest man he'd ever seen," but shared the concern. "The referee or his corner should have stepped in before the 10th round, at least," Frampton added.
In the aftermath, Wardley could be seen leaning over the ropes to reassure his family, telling them he was "OK." But former super-middleweight champion Richie Woodhall suggested Wardley became a "victim" of his own reputation for dramatic comebacks. The 31-year-old had previously been way behind on the scorecards against Joseph Parker and Justis Huni before securing late stoppages.
"It was uncomfortable at times. We know how tough Wardley is," Woodhall said on BBC Radio 5 Live. "In the past, the way he's fought and the way he's recovered—the referees let that go on too long. Fabio is a victim of that."
Boxing expert Steve Bunce agreed there "were limits" to what Wardley could do after his incredible start in the first three rounds completely unravelled by the 10th. The debate now rages: was this a courageous display of heart, or a fight that went too far? One thing everyone agrees on—it was a night that heavyweight boxing won't soon forget.