Fabio Wardley Triggers Rematch Clause For Daniel Dubois Showdown After Brutal First Fight
Fabio Wardley has officially activated the rematch clause for a second fight against Daniel Dubois after their dramatic heavyweight war earlier this month.
Their first meeting on May 9 at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena instantly became one of the most talked about heavyweight fights of the year. Dubois eventually stopped Wardley in the 11th round to capture the WBO heavyweight title, but the fight itself was far more chaotic than many expected.
Going into the bout, many believed Dubois’ experience at world level would be the deciding factor. But Wardley shocked everyone almost immediately once the opening bell rang.
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Fabio Wardley dropped Dubois twice before the fight completely changed
The fight exploded into life within seconds. Wardley stunned Dubois with a clean right hand less than 10 seconds into the opening round, sending the former world champion to the canvas early. It immediately changed the atmosphere inside the arena and gave Wardley huge momentum.
Things became even more dramatic in round three when Wardley dropped Dubois for a second time. At that stage, it looked like Dubois could genuinely be heading toward another devastating defeat. But the fight slowly began turning after the early rounds.
Dubois stayed composed despite the knockdowns and gradually started taking control of the center of the ring. His jab became more effective, his pressure increased, and Wardley began absorbing heavier shots as the rounds continued.
By the middle rounds, the damage on Wardley’s face had become severe. Dubois repeatedly landed powerful right hands that left Wardley badly swollen around the eye and bleeding heavily from the nose. Even so, Wardley refused to stop fighting and continued trading shots in what became a brutal heavyweight battle.
Dubois nearly finished the fight in round six before eventually overwhelming Wardley late in the contest. Referee Howard Foster finally stepped in during the 11th round after another sustained attack from Dubois, giving the London heavyweight the stoppage victory and the WBO title.
Despite losing, Wardley earned huge respect for his toughness and willingness to keep fighting through heavy punishment. Many fans and analysts described the bout as one of the best British heavyweight fights in recent years. Now the rivalry is officially set to continue.
The rematch immediately becomes one of the most interesting fights in the heavyweight division because both men now know they can hurt each other. Wardley will believe he already proved Dubois is vulnerable early, while Dubois will carry confidence knowing he survived the storm and eventually broke Wardley down.
With the first fight delivering knockdowns, momentum swings, and nonstop action, expectations for the rematch are already extremely high.
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