Was Wardley vs Dubois stopped too late? Bloody duel reveals controversial truth

In rare heavyweight fights like Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois , all the traditional safety measures can get lost in the drama and savagery of the night. The corner, the referee and the doctors are ringside in boxing to make sure the fighters leave the ring healthy. But on Saturday night on the outskirts of Manchester, close to midnight at the Co-op Live arena, 18,212 fanatics played their part in an unforgettable fight that crossed several of the sport’s boundaries .

It was a bloodthirsty Saturday-night crowd, and they packed the new arena in anticipation of something special, something memorable, and something brutal – they got all three. The WBO heavyweight title was just a trinket attraction . Wardley was rescued after 28 seconds of the 11th round , and Dubois was hauled away to celebrate the win; it was the end of a fight that took both men to the very extremes in a boxing business where total sacrifice does happen.

Wardley against Dubois on Saturday had that feeling very early. It was not always easy to watch, but it was also impossible to look away. The raw statistics are impressive enough, but they fail to tell the whole story; Dubois was down after 12 seconds of the first round, and again in the third .

He survived on stiff legs and with petrified eyes. Wardley started to take a beating from about round six; the referee, Howard Foster, called the doctors up onto the ring canvas to inspect him at the start of the ninth and 10th rounds. Wardley dropped Daniel Dubois twice in the first three rounds (Reuters) Wardley’s corner looked worried, but still he walked out at the start of each round for more.