Daniel Dubois stopped Fabio Wardley to win the WBO heavyweight title in Manchester, becoming a two-time world champion after a brutal eleven-round battle at the Co-Op Live Arena.
Referee Howard Foster called a halt to the fight 28 seconds into the eleventh round, ending a contest that had been non-stop action from the tenth second of round one, when Dubois was first sent to the canvas.
Dubois was knocked down twice early in the fight, the first time just ten seconds into round one and the second time in round three. He recovered from both knockdowns to turn the fight around and batter Wardley over the following rounds.
Foster had already given Wardley extra time between two rounds so his corner could treat a face that was bleeding heavily, including from inside his nose, before finally stepping in to stop the contest.
Dubois Reacts to the Win
"I'm a warrior," Dubois said after the stoppage was confirmed. He then turned to Wardley and told him, "Thank you Fabio for making it possible to be part of such a magnificent fight."
Wardley, who had gone from white-collar boxing into a world title fight, refused to go down for the full fight despite absorbing heavy punishment. Both fighters have said they are willing to fight again under a rematch clause already included in their contract.
What Comes Next for Dubois
Promoter Frank Warren said after the fight that "all sorts of options are open to Daniel now he has become a two-time world champion in such stunning fashion."
Warren's stable of British heavyweights also includes Moses Itauma. Dubois has lost twice before to Oleksandr Usyk, and a third fight between the two remains a possibility.
Usyk is due to take part in a crossover fight against a kickboxing champion at the Giza Pyramids in Egypt. Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are also expected to finally meet in the ring.
