Last weekend's heavyweight showdown between Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley was nothing short of a modern classic—a brutal, back-and-forth war that left fans on the edge of their seats. Now, as the dust settles, promoter Frank Warren is offering a candid look at what comes next for both warriors.
Dubois reclaimed his heavyweight title in emphatic fashion, but it wasn't without cost. Wardley showed incredible heart, absorbing punishing shots and refusing to stay down. Warren, speaking with talkSPORT, couldn't hide his admiration: "Look at the punches he took—he got up, gritted his teeth, and carried on. He's matured, he boxed extremely well. It was magnificent. Anyone who doubts Daniel now, I don't know what planet they're on."
But while fans are already clamoring for a rematch, Warren is urging patience. "There is a rematch clause, but it won't happen for a while. It's going to take a long time," he explained. "I sent Fabio a message yesterday. He's home safely with his family now, and he's got to recover—as has Daniel. Those fights take a lot out of you."
Wardley, who required significant stitches after the bout, is now focused on healing—both physically and emotionally. "He's obviously down because he got beat, but he gave a massively great account of himself," Warren said. "Now it's all about spending time with his family and his new daughter. When the time's right, we'll see."
The promoter also weighed in on the controversial decision to let the fight continue as long as it did. While he acknowledged the reasoning behind Wardley's corner's choices—citing his ability to rally in past battles against Huni and Parker—Warren admitted he would have taken a different approach. "Daniel is a phenomenal puncher. Ben [Davison] and the team, they're seasoned. They know what they're doing. But me? I would've pulled my man out."
For now, both fighters need time to recover from a contest that will be remembered for years. Whether they meet again in the ring remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the heavyweight division just got a whole lot more interesting.
