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Dubois Stops Wardley in 11th, Claims WBO Title

5/11/2026

40 6 Full Breakdown

Summary

Dubois Wins Title

Daniel Dubois stopped Fabio Wardley at 28 seconds of round 11 on May 9, 2026 in Manchester, winning the WBO heavyweight title.
Wardley knocked Dubois down in the first 10 seconds and again in round 3, with Dubois rising each time.
Dubois then dominated with jab and right hands, bruising Wardley’s nose and swelling his right eye.
A ringside doctor checked Wardley’s cut nose and closing eye before round 10, with the fight continuing.

Summary

Wardley Recovers

Trainer Ben Davison posted that Fabio Wardley was “OK” and explained why he stayed in the bout.
Frank Warren confirmed the contract includes a rematch clause for Dubois and Wardley.
Queensberry Boxing head Lee Eaton said Wardley is recovering at home with family.
Fans said the fight should have stopped earlier because of Wardley’s severe facial injuries.
Davison noted Wardley’s rise from four white-collar fights to world champion.

Summary

Dubois Awaiting Fight

The World Boxing Organization is weighing a super-fight order for Dubois against 21-year-old Moses Itauma, its top heavyweight contender.
Dubois, former IBF (2023-24) and WBA ‘regular’ champion after beating Anthony Joshua in September 2024, was slapped by trainer Don Charles, who said it refocused him.
He will rest before his next defence, but a rematch clause and recovery needs, especially Wardley’s facial injuries, delay both fighters.

Summary

Dubois Captures Title

Dubois captured the WBO heavyweight title, earning his second world reign after relinquishing the IBF belt.
The 11-round fight streamed live worldwide on DAZN, prompting promoter Frank Warren to call it the UK’s version of the 1985 Hagler-Hearns bout and his best heavyweight event.
The Co-op Arena in Manchester sold out while referee Howard Foster’s shirt was soaked in blood, underscoring the bout’s physical toll.

History

Historical Context

After Marvin Hagler secured the undisputed middleweight crown in 1980 and logged ten successful defenses, his April 15, 1985 showdown with Thomas Hearns—dubbed “The War”—became a benchmark for brutal, high-profile bouts. Promoters such as Frank Warren have since invoked that legacy, exemplified by Daniel Dubois’s May 9, 2026 WBO heavyweight victory over Fabio Wardley, shaping boxing’s commercial model.

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Dubois Wins Title

Daniel Dubois stopped Fabio Wardley at 28 seconds of round 11 on May 9, 2026 in Manchester, winning the WBO heavyweight title.
Wardley knocked Dubois down in the first 10 seconds and again in round 3, with Dubois rising each time.
Dubois then dominated with jab and right hands, bruising Wardley’s nose and swelling his right eye.
A ringside doctor checked Wardley’s cut nose and closing eye before round 10, with the fight continuing.

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