Daniel Dubois’ victory over Fabio Wardley for the WBO heavyweight world title ended up shrouded in huge controversy.
Although Dubois won by technical knockout in the eleventh round after a brutal fight in Manchester, criticism pointed to the bout having to be stopped much earlier due to Wardley’s physical condition.
The Brit kept fighting with his face completely bloodied, a broken nose, and one of his eyes practically shut, in images that quickly went viral because of the violence.
After the fight, even trainer Ben Davison admitted he understood the criticism and acknowledged: “The fight could have been stopped earlier. I didn’t see Fabio staggering before he went over to the doctor”.
Ultimately, the fight ended in round 11, when Dubois was already clearly in control. The fight sparked an intense debate in boxing about how far a fighter should be allowed to continue in order to favor the spectacle.
You can see the brutal punches here: