The Daniel Dubois vs Wardley fight of the year candidate is without doubt up there after that slugfest in boxing. Learn why and its competitors.
Both heavyweights left it all in the ring.
Dubois’ heart could not be foul wanting and it was strange how some thought it could before hand.
He got back to his feet to win by technical knockout in round 11 of the contest.
Here’s why it was up there already in the running for fight of the year:
- Dubois was dropped in 10 seconds and again in round 3.
- He got up both times and stopped Wardley in round 11.
- Wardley fought with one eye, a broken nose, and heavy bleeding.
- The doctor checked Wardley twice before letting it continue.
- Round 6 saw Wardley eat dozens of shots and somehow stay up.
- Wardley hurt Dubois late in round 9 and swung momentum.
- Dubois closed the show with a brutal right hand in a corner.
- Both men showed huge heart in a world title war.
- It was already labeled “breathtaking fight of year” the same night.
Here’s some good wins Dubois’ victory also stacks up against so far this year in boxing:
- Teofimo Lopez vs Shakur Stevenson – Jan 31. Stevenson beat Lopez by unanimous decision in a WBO super-lightweight superfight.
- Josh Kelly MD Bakhram Murtazaliev – Jan 31. Kelly upset the IBF super-welterweight champ in Newcastle with a majority decision.
- Raymond Muratalla MD Andy Cruz – Jan 24. Muratalla took the IBF lightweight title from Olympic gold medalist Cruz in Las Vegas.
- Dalton Smith KO5 Subriel Matias – Jan 10. Smith stopped Matias for the WBC super-lightweight belt in New York.
- Brandon Figueroa TKO Nick Ball – Feb 7. Figueroa won the WBA featherweight title with a late stoppage in Liverpool.
- Leigh Wood UD Josh Warrington – Feb 21. Wood outpointed Warrington in a super-featherweight grudge match in Nottingham.
- Moses Itauma TKO5 Jermaine Franklin – Mar 28. Itauma delivered a “beautiful” knockout in a heavyweight shootout in Manchester.
- Sebastian Fundora TKO Keith Thurman – Mar 28. Fundora stopped Thurman to keep the WBC super-welterweight title in Las Vegas.
- Jai Opetaia UD Brandon Glanton – Mar 8. Opetaia defended the IBF cruiserweight title in a hard-fought decision in Las Vegas.
Here was Daniel Dubois’ reaction to defeating Fabio Wardley after the fight.
