‘It was an honor’: Daniel Dubois thanks Fabio Wardley for epic heavyweight war
Daniel Dubois showed his appreciation for Fabio Wardley after their bloody battle
Fabio Wardley (left) and Daniel Dubois during their WBO heavyweight title bout at Co-op Live, Manchester. Picture date: Saturday May 9, 2026. (Photo by Richard Sellers/PA Images via Getty Images) | PA Images via Getty Images Daniel Dubois has a heavyweight title again, as “DDD” took the WBO belt away from Fabio Wardley in an epic, bloody war today in Manchester, England.
It’s a fight that is destined to go down in legend, with Dubois (23-3, 22 KO) coming off the canvas twice early to turn the face of Wardley (20-1-1, 19 KO) into a frankly gruesome sight, with referee Howard Foster stepping in to stop the war in the 11th round. Wardley never gave up and kept wanting to continue, even after it was clear only a miracle was going to keep the belt in his corner. It was an unbelievable display that promoter Frank Warren called the “best heavyweight fight he’s ever put on,” and if you watched, you can believe that he truly meant that.
Dubois repeatedly thanked Wardley for his efforts and for a great fight when all was said and done. “It was a war. We came through the sticky situations and that was a war.
Thank you, Fabio, for that. Thank you,” Dubois said. “I’ve got heart, bundles of heart.