Dubois Triumphs by TKO in the 11th Round, Despite Two Knockdowns
LONDON, May 10. /TASS/. Britain’s Daniel Dubois has secured the World Boxing Organization (WBO) heavyweight world championship title. In a grueling 12-round bout held in Manchester, he defeated his compatriot Fabio Wardley via technical knockout in the 11th frame.
Dubois found himself on the canvas following nearly the very first punch in the opening round, and suffered another knockdown in the third. However, he proceeded to win every subsequent round, consistently landing heavy blows that shook his opponent. Wardley displayed remarkable grit, enduring all of Dubois’s assaults and occasionally firing back dangerously, but the second half of the fight devolved into a one-sided battering.
A stoppage seemed imminent, with calls for Wardley’s corner to throw in the towel, and the ringside doctor examined him twice for facial injuries, yet the brave fighter persisted. Finally, in the 11th round, the referee intervened, halting the contest as Wardley struggled visibly to remain upright.
Dubois reclaims a world title after having previously relinquished the International Boxing Federation (IBF) belt last July when he was knocked out in the 5th round by Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk. Usyk subsequently vacated the WBO belt in November, forfeiting his status as the undisputed world champion. Dubois had initially captured the IBF belt in September 2024 by stopping his fellow Briton Anthony Joshua in the 5th round.
The 28-year-old Dubois’s record now stands at 23 victories (22 by knockout) against 3 defeats.
Wardley, aged 31, suffered his first professional loss, bringing his record to 20 wins (19 by KO) and 1 draw. In his previous outing, he had earned the interim WBO world title by stopping New Zealander Joseph Parker via technical knockout in the 11th round.
Usyk currently holds the world championship belts for the other major sanctioning bodies in the heavyweight division.
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