Wardley-Dubois: When Should The Fight Have Been Stopped?

It is a cliche to say and it is one that is indeed overused, but one truly never knows what is going to happen when two fighters get into a ring to do battle. Such anticipation before a fight is part of the appeal combat sports thrives on. When it came to the encounter between undefeated WBO World Heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley and former IBF World Heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois on May 9th at the Co-Op Live Arena in Manchester, England, that anticipation was present before a record crowd of over 18,000 spectators. Pitting two “Knockout Artists” each having a career knockout percentage of 95% against each other, however, indicated as close to a guarantee as one would find that this would be a fight that would not go the distance.

A perception seemed to be on point when the champion Wardley, who was making his first title defense, knocked Dubois down in the opening seconds of the fight with a right hand that grazed the top of his head and appeared initially to this observer to be Wardley’s forearm that connected on the follow through that sent Dubois down to the canvas. A sudden occurrence that gave the impression that this could be a short contest. To Dubois’ credit, however, he was able to pick himself up and it was not long before the shootout many had expected between the two began to manifest with both fighters landing hard, thudding punches with knockout intentions. As Dubois found his footing in the fight, there began to be a distinction between the two fighters.

Despite both men landing the type of blows that would end the night for most Heavyweights, it was Dubois landing the harder, more accurate punches, while the champion threw wide, looping shots that though many landed, were not accurate and seemed to knock Wardley off balance periodically. The distinction between the two fighters notwithstanding, Wardley would score a second knockdown of Dubois in round three by another right hand that landed high on the head and seemed to affect his equilibrium.

As he had done in round one, Dubois picked himself up off the canvas and the fight continued. While there was still a decent amount of back and forth action, gradually Dubois’ harder punches turned the tempo of the combat. Gradually Dubois began to administer a beating to the champion. By round eight of the scheduled twelve round world championship bout, I felt the accumulation of punishment to Wardley frankly warranted the fight being stopped.

Although traditionally an argument can be made that a world champion should be given the benefit of doubt in a scenario where they are the defending champion, and keeping in mind that Wardley showed his mettle and a lot of heart as he continued to take grotesque punishment, the likes of which, we are accustomed to seeing in movies, it got to a point where I stopped watching the fight as a competition and wondered aloud as to how much longer the fight would be permitted to continue.

As Dubois continued to dish out punishment, the effects of the beating emerged on Wardley’s trace in the form of a busted and bloody nose and significant swelling over both eyes. Despite this, Wardley remained ever brave and continued to frail wide looping punches that frequently knocked him off balance in the hope of landing a dramatic fight changing blow as he had done before later in fights prior to being named WBO World Heavyweight champion. On this night, it was not meant to be as Dubois continued to dish out punishment until mercifully Referee Howard Foster finally stopped in and stopped the fight in the eleventh round giving Daniel Dubois his second world championship. Although miraculously Dubois was not able to drop Wardley throughout the fight and did not knock him down prior to the fight being stopped, the stoppage was controversial.

It was controversial in the sense that it came later than should have been the case. While this fight exceeded every possible expectation, many would suggest that it should have been stopped sooner. Now a few days removed from the fight taking place, the obvious question is why was the fight allowed to go on as long as it was?

There are three aspects that all played a role here and some might say, share equal responsibility for how things turned out. Firstly, Referee Howard Foster. 

Referee Howard Foster has long been one of the top referees and judges throughout the United Kingdom having been the referee in nearly 1600 professional fights, many having been world championship contests. Foster, however, has not been immune from controversy throughout his twenty-nine year career as a referee. Some may recall the first fight between future Hall of Famers Carl Froch and George Groves in 2013 where many felt Foster stopped the fight in favor of Froch in the ninth round prematurely. 

While the element of controversy is something that unfortunately comes with the territory for any referee or judge as some calls by a referee will seem unjustified, much in the same way as a judge’s scorecard, particularly in close fights, will always be open to interpretation and scrutiny, in this case even as Foster’s shirt began to display the stains of Wardley’s blood and it became more evident that Wardley would not be able to land something to turn things around, Foster allowed the fight to go further than should have been the case.

By its very nature, however, a referee making a decision to stop a fight is a judgement call and open to human error. Having said that, what other parties outside of Foster could have stepped in? Some may point the finger of criticism in the direction of Wardley's corner.

Wardley's trainer Ben Davison had to of seen the amount of punishment his fighter was taking, same as other members of Wardley's corner. The first line of defense in terms of protecting a fighter is their corner. One can only assume that much like how a referee, more often than not, gives a champion the benefit of doubt or to put it another way, a longer leash than would normally be the case, one can assume that in this case, Wardley's corner felt their fighter still had a puncher’s chance to turn things around. Though I disagree with that assessment, at minimum, there will be a period where Davison will have to answer the criticism as to why he didn't stop it. This finally brings us to the third party that could have stepped in. The British Boxing Board of Control.

As the regulatory board overseeing the fight, the British Boxing Board of Control has long had a reputation as being one of the strictest and stringent regulatory boards in the world. In this case some may question whether they had the authority to step in and stop the fight as it would be overriding the referee they appointed with that responsibility and even the ringside physician, who is often consulted before fights are stopped.

Although very rare to see a commission overrule a referee or doctor, there have been some instances where it has happened. Most notably the 2007 bout between the late Arturo Gatti and Alfonso Gomez. Gatti, in what proved to be the final fight of his career, took a horrible beating at the hands of Gomez for seven rounds before crumbling to the canvas under significant punishment. The referee former Heavyweight contender Randy Neumann, a highly competent and respected referee in his own right in the northeast of the United States was not the man who made the call to stop the fight, nor was it Gatti’s corner or the ringside physician, but it was Larry Hazard, then chairman of the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board, who stepped up on the apron of the ring and stepped through the ropes to ensure the fight was stopped as Gatti fell to the canvas. While Gatti-Gomez was a more one-sided contest than this fight was with an aging fighter at the end of his career, it does serve as an example nearly twenty years later that sometimes the commission overseeing a fight will exercise their authority to ensure a fight is stopped when for whatever reason, those who are appointed with the responsibility do not.

The controversy aside, the fight was stopped and Fabio Wardley will be back. In terms of what happens, given that Wardley as the champion coming into this bout has a rematch clause, it seems logical that this was the conclusion of chapter one of a longer story between Wardley and Dubois. When that rematch occurs obviously remains to be seen, but both fighters Dubois and Wardley deserve time to recuperate before a rematch is discussed. Even though Wardley came out the more battered of the two, both fighters took a lot of punishment and need time to let their bodies heal. After all, whenever that rematch happens, it is likely to be a similar back and forth battle as this fight was. Outside of the controversy of when the fight should have been stopped, it was one of the best World Heavyweight championship bouts in recent memory,

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Schedule Update

We would like to let our readers know that we will have two columns released on the website this week.  First up, on Wednesday, May 13^th,  a follow- up discussing the recent WBO World Heavyweight championship bout between Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois will be released, discussing both the fight itself as well as the controversy surrounding it. This will be followed on Friday, May 15^th where we will preview the upcoming Heavyweight bout between Filip Hrgovic and Dave Allen, which will take place on Saturday, May 16^th in Doncaster, England.

In the interim, any content that is sent in to us by promoters, networks, and others involved in the sport of Boxing will be made available for readers as we receive them. Stay tuned.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.“

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Wardley-Dubois Preview

The month of May 2026 in the sport of Boxing will be in some ways bookended by two World Heavyweight championship fights. While the fact that one has to say two world championship fights rather than one so soon after the division was fully unified by the unbeaten Oleksandr Usyk for a second time in his career last summer and the breaking of the Undisputed championship did not come as a result of Usyk’s retirement or being defeated where a new champion chose to relinquish portions of the title, being more of a reflection of the political aspects of the sport, not serving to its benefit, the two bouts will no doubt generate buzz. 

First on the schedule, and the subject of this column, will take place on May 9th in London, England where undefeated WBO World Heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley will defend his title for the first time against the man Usyk stopped last summer to fully unify the title for the second time, former IBF World Heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois at the Co-Op Live Arena in London, England in a bout that can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN as part of an Ultimate subscription plan or as a standalone pay-per-view option. While this coincidentally brings together two fighters, one a current world champion and one a former world champion, who each became champion as mandatory challengers who were named champion after Usyk was stripped of respective  portions of the World Heavyweight championship, if one takes the political aspects out of the equation, this is one of the best fights that could be made currently in the whole Heavyweight division.

The reason for that is that both Wardley and Dubois are “Knockout Artists” who each have a career knockout percentage of over 95%. A statistic that should be concerning to the representation of potential opponents throughout the division, but one that should be mouth watering to both the hardcore enthusiast as well as the casual fan. Simply put, these are two fighters that have knockout intention with nearly every punch they throw and a fight between two fighters like this could be as close to a guarantee as possible that it is not likely to go the distance.

What is of interest to this observer as this world championship bout approaches largely centers on the challenger. Dubois was knocked out for the second time in his last outing in his rematch with Olelsandr Usyk and though you are not likely to see too many fighters, and to be more specific, the management of those combatants passing on the opportunity to fight for a world title given both the stature a world championship carries, as well as the lucrative purses that are often attached to those opportunities, some might question the wisdom of jumping back into a world title fight immediately after a knockout loss. Although likely seen as a gamble, Dubois has proven in the past that he can rebound from a setback and should be viewed as dangerous for however long this fight lasts having scored knockouts in twenty-one of his twenty-two career wins. 

In the opposite corner, the undefeated champion Fabio Wardley boasts nineteen career knockouts in twenty-one professional fights with only a March 2024 draw when the then British Heavyweight champion was held to a standstill in his bout against Frazer Clarke, which he avenged via first round knockout later that year. Recently, Wardley’s fights have followed a similar pattern. When he fought the then unbeaten Justis Huni in June of last year, he was being out boxed and seemed at times to be on the verge of being stopped due to fatigue before he was able to score a knockout of Huni in the tenth round. Wardley found himself in essentially the same position in his last bout where he was being outworked by former WBO World Heavyweight champion Joseph Parker before he was able to stop him in the eleventh round.

In this instance some may suggest that given both champion and challenger are come forward “Knockout Artists” that we are not likely to see this fight go into the middle and late rounds. Despite that perception and Wardley’s track record of being able to pull off come from behind knockouts later in fights, it will be interesting to see if some efforts have been made to address the issue of fatigue if this fight does extend into the later rounds. Both fighters are certainly aware of what the other can do and that could likely set up a scenario where one or both are a bit tentative early in the fight out of respect and not wanting to overly commit too early. 

Beyond a piece of the World Heavyweight championship being at stake of course is the chance to eventually try to fully unify the title. Fabio Wardley is looking to establish his reign as a world champion. Daniel Dubois is looking to become champion once again. When you have two fighters with the type of punching power both of these men have, there is not much more that needs to be said and it is simply time to watch them do battle in what could be an explosive World Heavyweight championship fight.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

Wardley vs. Dubois takes place on Saturday, May 9th at the Co-Op Live Arena in London, England. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN either as a standalone pay-per-view for $59.99 or as part of a DAZN Ultimate subscription plan for $44.99 per month. (*North American Prices Only.*) The broadcast will begin at 1:30 PM ET/10:30AM PT. (*North American Start Times Only.*) 

(*Card and Start Times Subject to Change.*)

For more information about DAZN, including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times in your area, to order this event or to subscribe or upgrade your subscription to DAZN Ultimate please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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UPDATE: WBO Statement Regarding Oleksandr Usyk

Below in the following screenshots released on its website and social media platforms is a statement released by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and it's current president Gustavo Olivieri regarding the decision of now former two-time Undisputed World Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk to vacate its version of the World Heavyweight championship as of Monday, November 17th.

Credit: WBO

Credit:WBO

Credit:WBO

As previously reported here on The Boxing Truth®️ per Sky Sports in the United Kingdom, with Usyk now having vacated the WBO world title in the Heavyweight division, per WBO rules, which is a standard throughout the entire sport regardless of sanctioning organization, Fabio Wardley, who was the undefeated mandatory challenger for Usyk in the WBO Heavyweight rankings, and held interim championship status as a result, following his stoppage of previous number one contender and former WBO world champion Joseph Parker on October 25th in London, England, is now recognized as WBO World Heavyweight champion. As of this writing, Olekaandr Usyk remains World Heavyweight champion recognized by the WBC, WBA, IBF, and IBO. Usyk’s potential future in the ring, however, remains uncertain as he has been recovering from a back injury in recent months.

This remains a developing story and we will keep readers updated on developments as they become available. Stay tuned.

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BREAKING: Usyk Vacates WBO World Heavyweight Championship, Wardley Now WBO World Champion

According to Sky Sports in the United Kingdom, Oleksandr Usyk the undefeated two-time Undisputed Heavyweight champion of the world, and one time former Undisputed Cruiserweight world champion has chosen to relinquish the WBO World Heavyweight championship. Not only does this mean that Usyk is once again no longer an undisputed world champion in the Heavyweight division after successfully fully unifying it for a second time earlier this year with a knockout win in his rematch with Daniel Dubois, after having a similar situation occur after he successfully unified the division the first time in his first fight with Tyson Fury in 2023, when Dubois was a mandatory challenger in the IBF Heavyweight ratings, after previously being stopped by Usyk prior to Usyk’s first of two bouts with Fury, but it also now elevates undefeated number one mandatory challenger Fabio Wardley, who Usyk had been mandated to fight by the WBO as its latest mandatory challenger, to now WBO World Heavyweight champion.

Wardley is coming off a knockout win in October over former WBO World Heavyweight champion Joseph Parker in London, England. As of now, there has been no word from Usyk or his representatives as to why he chose to vacate the WBO world championship, but he has been recovering from a back injury in recent months. This is a developing story and we will keep readers updated on developments as they become available. Stay tuned.

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Wardley Rescues Himself From The Brink Again, But Was Stoppage The Right Call?

The Heavyweight encounter between former WBO World Heavyweight champion Joseph Parker and undefeated top contender Fabio Wardley on June 25th at the O2 Arena in London, England was one that could and frankly should have repercussions for the talent-deep Heavyweight division going into 2026. Not only was it a rarity in that two number one contenders in two separate world sanctioning organizations,  chose to risk their respective standings against each other rather than sit and wait for a title shot to come to them, but stylistically, it provided the dynamic of a boxer/puncher in Parker, who has been at or near the top of the division for more than a decade going against a “Knockout Artist” in Wardley. 

It was also a fight that came following a significant scare for Wardley in his previous outing against previously unbeaten Justis Huni earlier this year in a fight where Wardley was trailing on all three scorecards before dropping Huni late in the tenth round to score a dramatic come from behind knockout, saving his undefeated record and his standing as the WBA's top Heavyweight contender in the process. As thrilling as that knockout was, however, it did present a question for at least some regarding whether it might be too much, too soon for him in terms of competing at the top level of the Heavyweight division. In particular, by opting to roll the dice against a former world champion in Parker, who not only had more experience than both he and Huni, but also a more well-rounded skillset than Huni. 

The old adage of “Styles Make Fights” was almost immediately appropriate from the opening bell. Parker throwing and landing punches consistently behind a quick jab and seeming to get the better of the action when he used his hand speed, Wardley not outworking Parker, but landing hard thudding blows seemingly every time he connected. It did not take long before the dynamics in terms of the styles of the two fighters provided an entertaining bout.

It was a bout that though Parker seemed to be in control for a significant portion of it, there were plenty of back and forth heated exchanges that kept one on the edge of their seats. Both fighters had periods throughout the fight where they were able to stun the other, but after round four where this observer felt the two fighters split the first four rounds, Parker was able to gradually build a lead on points. This was due primarily to both his ability to throw and land crisp combinations, but also doing so with accuracy. In the seventh round one such heated exchange of offense between the two fighters was won by Parker. The exchange, however, triggered a response from yours truly as I observed the bout on X (formerly Twitter) that while Parker had pulled ahead by a five rounds to two margin on my scorecard, he was playing with fire by being willing to stand and trade with Wardley. As Justis Huni learned earlier this year in his own bout with Wardley, you can be winning every minute of every round without a question of doubt and still get caught. 

While I do not claim any psychic abilities, the one thing I do have as a proud Boxing lifer and one who has dedicated his life to covering the sport over the last thirty years, is experience in having covered thousands of fights on every level of Boxing and thus having an instinct based on that experience as to what might happen based on what I can see. This was a case where at that point in the fight, I felt all Parker needed to do was use his lateral movement to evade Wardley as he came forward and continue out boxing him by throwing short, but compact combinations. Although after eight rounds I felt the fight was still on the table for both in terms of being able to win a decision, and keeping in mind that up to that point, Parker had withstood Wardley’s hardest punches, particularly his right hand, I felt that the wise approach was for Parker to be elusive and not give the noted “Knockout Artist” an opportunity to take advantage of an opening.

Rounds nine and ten followed a similar pattern as the majority of rounds throughout the fight, Parker seeming to control the majority of those rounds, beating Wardley to the punch, and at times looking as though he might be able to get a stoppage as Wardley seemed to be wilting periodically due to both the high pace the fight was being fought at as well as likely the accumulation of Parker's combinations throughout. Wardley did manage to stun Parker late in the tenth round, but it was at that point that I made another observation in real time on X that we had reached the point in the contest where Wardley needed a knockout to win this fight and that scoring knockdowns would not be enough to get the job done on points. 

As often happens in combat sports, one should always keep a mentality that anything can happen at any time and until you hear a final bell, one should not dismiss the possibility of something unexpected and dramatic happening. The eleventh round can be summed up in three words.”Sudden,” “Dramatic,” and “Controversial.”

The statement made by this observer just prior to round eleven would prove to provide the exact scenario that Wardley needed to turn things in his favor to bring the fight to a sudden, dramatic, and controversial conclusion. At the midway point of the round, Wardley connected with a flush right hand that staggered Parker badly. A scenario that had played out periodically throughout the fight whenever Wardley had been able to land solidly, but up to this point, Parker was able to withstand those blows. 

This appeared as though it would be similar as, despite being badly stunned and largely on the defensive, Parker’s eyes appeared clear and he was trying to weather the storm of offense that Wardley was throwing relentlessly with urgency, clearly sensing both that he was at a point where he was going to lose this fight on the scorecards and that this was his opportunity to change that narrative. While not landing with every shot he threw in the seemingly endless barrage, he did succeed in keeping Parker on the defensive where it appeared to yours truly that he was only able to get off one or two punches in response to what Wardley was throwing at him. It was at this point where Parker was attempting to evade punches and deflect what he could with his gloves that Referee Howard Foster stepped in and stopped the fight at 1:54 of round eleven without a knockdown occurring or Parker seemingly getting hit with a blow that would force the referee’s hand to step in and stop it.

Reacting in real time, I commented on X following the stoppage that Foster would be criticized for stepping in. Before I go deeper in that assessment, first some context is appropriate for what will follow. 

Referee Howard Foster, who is based in the United Kingdom has been a referee on the professional level of the sport of Boxing for twenty-eight years having officiated over 1,500 professional fights including many world championship bouts, European, and British/Commonwealth championship bouts. While Foster also has served in the capacity as a judge scoring fights for over twenty-five years, which includes nearly 700 bouts, including many non-title bouts on the British/Commonwealth level where the referee is the sole judge scoring those bouts, nearly 2,220 bouts of combined service as a referee and judge indicates that Foster is extremely experienced and frequently called upon to serve in either capacity by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) and other athletic commissions and regulatory boards throughout the world where he has been called upon to either referee or serve as a judge.

Referees like the rest of us are human beings and along with experience they bring with them into the ring are as prone to human error as the rest of us. The aspect of one's experience, while serving as an indication that the individual has paid their dues and is trusted to be in the position they are in regardless of what field they are in, the human aspect and the potential for errors to be made is always there. Despite Foster’s extensive resume, he is no stranger to controversy and has developed a reputation over the years in some circles as one who is at times quick in stopping fights.

Anyone who has followed the career of this observer over the last three decades either knows or should know that more often than not, when it comes to fights being stopped, I will side with the referee, doctor, or corner of a fighter who ultimately makes that often difficult decision. More often than not, such decisions are judgement calls that are ultimately motivated by the sole intention of protecting the fighter from further punishment and the potential of serious injury or God forbid worse.

Anyone who has spent any significant time in and around combat sports knows that often these types of judgement calls boil down to split second calls. It is far from an easy task to know what the right call might be in the heat of the moment. No one, however, wants to live with what can happen if a fight that should be stopped is allowed to go on where it results in either permanent injury to a fighter or unfortunately death.

This was a case where Joseph Parker did not appear to be in danger of possible serious/permanent injury or possibly having his life in danger. It is indisputable, however, that he was badly stunned and was not returning offense at a rate that would have convinced Foster that he was capable of continuing. On the other side of the equation, several of Wardley’s shots during this final barrage were not landing cleanly and it is certainly possible that Parker though under heavy fire, was trying to both compose himself and look for an opening to return offense or get off the ropes.

Having viewed the stoppage more than once, I believe Howard Foster was a bit early in stepping in for the sole reason that Parker's eyes appeared to be clear and he was able to avoid some of what Wardley was dishing out. We could be talking about a span of between 10-15 seconds that may have provided some clarity one way or another as to whether Parker may have been able to survive or whether Foster was justified in stepping in. 

If Foster had given Parker that benefit of doubt, there are a few scenarios that could have occurred. One and perhaps the most obvious is that Wardley could have landed another solid blow that may have either resulted in a knockdown of Parker or would have served as the trigger for Foster to step in where the justification would not be questioned. Scenario two, and the most logical if you are a fighter in Parker's position would be to attempt to clinch and buy yourself some seconds to get your legs and faculties back while waiting for the referee to initiate a break and thus allow you a chance to get off the ropes. Possibility three, Parker may have found an opening and landed something that would have stopped the barrage of punches Wardley was throwing, and finally scenario four, the exhausting pace of the fight, which was significant by Heavyweight standards, combined with Wardley putting everything he had behind this final barrage of offense could have resulted in him punching himself out, which in turn could have provided Parker with an opportunity to at minimum evade and get through the round.

All of this is hypothetical, of course, because the fight was stopped. Although the winner of this fight was supposed to be theoretically next in line to challenge undefeated Undisputed Heavyweight championship Oleksandr Usyk, the fact that there is that element of controversy regarding whether the fight should have been stopped coupled with the fact that Fabio Wardley was indeed trailing on all three official scorecards at the time of the stoppage, would appear to create the ideal conditions for an immediate rematch. When one factors in that Usyk, who recently became the only man in Boxing history to fully unify the World Heavyweight championship twice, has yet to indicate what he wants to do next and may be heading towards retirement, it seems all the more logical that there be a rematch between Wardley and Parker. One should also take into consideration that it was also one of the more entertaining Heavyweight fights in recent memory. 

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

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Parker And Wardley Emerge In High Stakes Pay-Per-View Showdown

Originally, this column was intended and scheduled to preview two separate pay-per-view main events scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 25th. As some Boxing fans know, what was intended has obviously had to change due to the cancellation of the scheduled WBC World Jr. Middleweight championship bout between champion Sebastian Fundora and former World Welterweight champion Keith Thurman, which was due to headline a pay-per-view card promoted by the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) group of promoters and streamed through digital streaming entertainment and subscription platform Prime Video, being cancelled due to a hand contusion suffered by Fundora while in training for the bout. While as of this writing, the plan appears for that bout to be rescheduled as soon as possible, there remains one pay-per-view main event to take place on October 25th that will now be the sole subject of this writing, which could and should have ramifications the the Heavyweight division moving into 2026.

This observer is referring to the bout between former WBO World Heavyweight champion Joseph Parker and the undefeated Fabio Wardley in a scheduled twelve round fight that will headline a pay-per-view card at the O2 Arena in London, England and can be seen worldwide on DAZN Pay-Per-View. What makes this encounter interesting beyond it being a battle between two of the top Heavyweights in the division, which alone often is enough to draw interest is this fight presents a rarity as well that primarily due to the politics that be in the sport of Boxing and multiple sanctioning organizations, you rarely see. Two fighters, each with a number one mandatory ranking with an interim championship designation, putting their respective standings on the line. In this case in order to attempt to secure a fight with the undefeated two-time Undisputed World Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.

Parker, who has been at or near the top of the Heavyweight division for most of the last decade is a one time WBO World Heavyweight champion, and after some ups and downs over the years, has worked his way back to the number one contender position in the same organization. A testament to perseverance that cannot be dismissed. Although seemingly on a career high minus the ultimate goal of regaining a world title, Parker, who has had to contend with his fair share of power punching sharks in the waters of the Heavyweight division will be tasked with facing one more in his hopes to secure another world title opportunity in the form of unbeaten “Knockout Artist” Fabio Wardley.

Wardley, who will come into this fight with a near 95% career knockout percentage, will enter as the WBA’s top contender. With a record of 19-0-1, with 18 Knockouts, few have been able to withstand the punching power Wardley has in either hand. This presents the classic scenario of a fighter noted for his ability to end fights quickly, going against a more seasoned and more experienced opponent at this level of competition.

It is not a scenario that the former world champion Parker, who will enter the bout with a record of 36-3, with 24 Knockouts, is unfamiliar. Some may recall his fights against Anthony Joshua, Joe Joyce, and Zhilei Zhang, three noted “Knockout Artists,” in which Parker suffered two losses out of those three fights. What is revealing, however, is Parker has only been stopped once in his three defeats and that was at the hands of Joe Joyce in September 2022. Parker was competitive in all three of his losses and was ahead on all three scorecards when Joyce was able to catch up to him in the eleventh round of that fight.

In thinking of how this fight might be fought from Parker’s perspective, I thought of two fights that might be similar, that he was successful and dominant in winning. Two opponents that stylistically are similar to Wardley in being “Knockout Artists” that come forward and can knock an opponent out with either hand. Yours truly is referring to his bouts with the aforementioned Zhilei Zhang and before that encounter, his bout against former WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder. Two fights that took place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2023 and 2024 respectfully.

In both fights, Parker used effective lateral movement, footwork, and timing to consistently beat both fights to the punch, often by landing variations of two, three, and four punch combinations and then using his movement to evade before either fighter could return offense consistently. Two performances by Parker, who was viewed as an underdog going into both fights that frankly should be viewed as a masterclass in effective execution by a boxer/puncher. It is an approach that Parker must implement once again in this fight.

Much like Wilder and Zhang, Fabio Wardley is not known for his quickness, but has shown more than once thus far in his career that he can end a fight with one punch if given an opening. One need look no further than Wardley’s last fight in June of this year against previously unbeaten contender Justis Huni. A fight held in rainy conditions in Portman Road Football Ground in Ipswich, England, that was dominated by Huni from the outset, frequently out throwing and outlanding Wardley in seemingly every round and often landing in combination. Huni had particular success in landing flush right hands on Wardley, which is also coincidentally one of Parker's best offensive weapons.

The accumulation of punishment along with the fact that Huni had stepped in and took the fight on short notice along with the bout being held outdoors in rainy conditions seemed to have Wardley at times seemingly on the verge of being stopped due primarily to fatigue. Just as it appeared Huni was about to make a significant shake up in the Heavyweight division, the two fighters exchanged punches midway through the tenth round. Seemingly out of nowhere, Wardley connected with an overhand right that turned certain defeat as he had lost the fight on the scorecards by that point in the bout, into a thrilling come from behind knockout victory.

As great as that knockout was and as accurate a demonstration of the power Wardley has that one can find, if one is objective they would say that Justis Huni put a significant scare into both Wardley and his promoter the Hall of Famer Frank Warren, who is also the promoter of this bout with Parker. To expand a bit further, if one were honest they would say that even though Huni up to the point where he got caught put in a career high performance in that fight, he has limited experience and Joseph Parker is both more experienced, particularly at this level of competition at or near the top of the sport, and is also lighter on his feet than Huni.

The element of danger, however, is very real and Parker must keep in mind here that he can be winning every second of every round and one lapse in focus, leaving even the slightest opening, can end up costing him the fight. Though the circumstances are/were different, Parker found himself in a similar situation as Huni when he fought Joe Joyce in September 2022 in that like Wardley, Joyce, at the time was an unbeaten “Knockout Artist” that Parker hit repeatedly throughout that fight with the type of flush right hands that would end the night for most fighters, let alone Heavyweights and like Huni, Parker seemed to have the fight well under control and winning on points when Joyce was able to catch him and knock him out. A possibility certainly exists here that a similar scenario could happen where by all accounts and without a question of doubt, Parker could find himself in control and winning every aspect of the combat. Parker knows what happened to him against Joyce and he needs to be aware not to get overly aggressive where he might be vulnerable again to being caught. Even if a scenario presents itself where he might be able to score a knockdown, he must be tactical at all times and until the final bell or a potential stoppage, approach Wardley with caution.

The approach for Fabio Wardley is both simple and complex. He needs to try and cut the ring off from Parker and try to limit his ability to move and use angles, but must also pace himself in doing so. A problem that fighters, as I have often said over the last thirty years I have covered Boxing and by extension other combat sports, that are known for their punching power is they can fall into a false sense of security in thinking that their power will be enough to get the job done every time they enter the ring and as a result, neglect developing other facets of their game in terms of tactics, strategy, the ability to pace themselves, and develop an overall well-rounded skillset, which more often than not tends to have negative effects long-term on their careers. Wardley did succeed in saving himself from defeat in his last fight, but he may not be as fortunate if he finds himself in a similar hole on the scorecards in this fight.

Whether or not the winner of this fight gets a title shot against Oleksandr Usyk, or due to the unique circumstances of this encounter, ends up potentially emerging as a unified world champion depending on what Usyk decides to do, remains to be seen. These are the types of fights, however, that I tend to look forward to more than most not only from a stylistic standpoint, but when you also throw into the equation that anything can happen, which is especially true when it comes to Heavyweights, it sparks interest. We will see if it's Parker or Wardley that comes out on top. 

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

Parker vs. Wardley takes place on Saturday, October 25th at the O2 Arena in London, England. The fight as well as it's undercard can be seen worldwide on DAZN Pay-Per-View at 1:30PM ET/10:30AM PT for $59.99. (*North American times and pricing only.*)

(*Card and start times Subject to Change.*)

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times and pricing in your area, to subscribe and order this pay-per-view event please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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BREAKING: Fundora-Thurman Postponed

It has been announced that the October 25th pay-per-view card headlined by a bout between WBC Jr. Middleweight world champion Sebastian Fundora defending his title against former WBA Welterweight world champion Keith Thurman, which was scheduled to take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV and streamed on Prime Video has been postponed due to a hand injury suffered by the champion. It has also been reported by noted Boxing journalist Mike Coppinger, currently of Ring Magazine that the scheduled co-main event, a WBC World Jr. Lightweight championship bout between between champion O'Shaquie Foster and former Jr. Featherweight world champion Stephen Fulton, will also be rescheduled.

The Fundora-Thurman card was one of two scheduled pay-per-view cards to take place on October 25th. As of this writing, the other event headlined by former WBO World Heavyweight champion Joseph Parker facing top contender Fabio Wardley at the O2 Arena in London England, which will be streamed on digital sports streaming network DAZN as a pay-per-view add-on separate from it's subscription-based model, remains on as scheduled. 

We will keep readers updated on when the Fundora-Thurman card will be rescheduled as those details become available.

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On The Brink Of Defeat: Wardley Finds KO Punch

The circumstances that led to the Heavyweight bout between unbeaten top Heavyweight contenders Fabio Wardley and Justis Huni on June 7th at the Portman Road Football Ground in Ipswich, England was not ideal for either boxer. Due to the fact that it was made on short notice where Huni stepped in for the injured Jarrell Miller, neither man had the type of preparation that they would likely prefer going into a fight. 

When one throws into the equation rainy conditions outdoors, one may not have known what to expect. In terms of styles, this was an adjustment for Wardley, who had been preparing to face a power puncher like himself in Miller, now tasked with facing a more balanced boxer/puncher in Huni. While the perception when fights like this are made on short notice is the fighter stepping into a fight is at a disadvantage, this was a case where one could say it was truly unknown as to having an idea of what could happen with one fighter having the type of punching power that is sudden and devastating going against a fighter that could do a little of everything.

For a significant portion of this bout, it was Huni’s Boxing ability that was on full display. Consistently getting his punches off first, often throwing in combination, and backing the power puncher Wardley up, Huni dictated the combat and frequently landed flush right hands to the head. Gradually, it appeared that it was Huni that had the edge and if one were unaware of the circumstances, they might have assumed that it was Wardley, who stepped into the fight on short notice and not the other way around. 

With each passing round, Huni continued to dominate the action. After eight rounds, this observer, as I often do, shared how I was seeing things in real time on X (Formerly Twitter) and said that Huni had won the fight on my unofficial scorecard having won seven of eight rounds of the scheduled twelve round bout. In terms of points, Wardley was behind to a point that he would likely need a knockout to win the fight. Yours truly commented that  Wardley might have a punch in him to turn things around, but it also appeared that he was struggling due to both fatigue and the punishment that Huni had dished out and I questioned whether he would be able to go the distance.

If one were objective, there was little evidence that there would be a sudden change as Huni continued to bring the fight to Wardley in the ninth round. Having covered thousands of fights on every level of the sport over the last three decades and being a Boxing lifer long before I began my journey as a writer and began covering combat sports, I had learned long ago that you can never truly dismiss the possibility of a sudden turn, but with Huni dominating to the degree he was, it seemed unlikely that Wardley would be able to land that fight changing punch. 

What by all accounts looked to be certain victory for Huni would change in the type of fashion that should remind even the most jaded cynic what makes Boxing great. In an exchange of punches at the midway point in the tenth round, Wardley connected with an overhand right that came out of nowhere and seemed to be thrown in desperation, which landed flush and sent Huni down hard on the canvas. Huni struggled and was unable to beat the count. On the brink of what appeared to be certain defeat, Fabio Wardley found the knockout punch that gave him the most dramatic win of his career. 

The certainty that Wardley needed a knockout to remain unbeaten can be illustrated in the official scorecards in that he was down by six points on two official scorecards and on five on the third entering the tenth round. As dramatic a victory and an illustration of the type of power Wardley is blessed with, if one is objective, they would say that Wardley, his handlers, and supporters got a legitimate scare.

Although Wardley maintained his number one ranking in the WBA’s Heavyweight ratings having retained Interim/Regular champion status as the contender currently in position as the World Boxing Association’s mandatory challenger with this victory, he was unable to make the type of statement that would give the impression that he is ready to fight for a world title. Yes, he did get a knockout in the purest sense of the word, however, one might argue that it is Justis Huni who comes out of this fight having made a convincing argument as a potential challenger down the line for either of the Heavyweight division’s two world champions Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois.

 With Usyk and Dubois preparing for their rematch for the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world on July 19th, and assuming that there might be a third fight between the two in the future per a rematch clause, Waedley may not get an opportunity to fight for the title in the near future. If Wardley is going to fight again before the end of 2025, an obvious option would be to give Justis Huni a rematch. As brutal as the knockout was, Huni has earned another opportunity and Wardley and his team will likely want to quell the questions that will likely be asked coming out of this fight and the best way to do that is by giving Huni a rematch.

“And That's The Boxing Truth," 

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Wardley-Huni Preview

As the Boxing world prepares for the reunification of the Heavyweight division, which will come when the two champions of the division Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois meet in July in a highly anticipated rematch, this time for the Undisputed Heavyweight championship of the world, focus has begun to take shape in regard to the potential challengers that might follow for the winner of that fight. Recently, we saw the fast-rising Moses Itauma score his twelfth victory in his career by scoring a devastating knockout of Mike Balogun on May 24th. Itauma, who is rated in the top three in the Heavyweight division in both the WBO and the WBA rankings, may be on the short list of potential challengers for either Usyk or Dubois. 

On June 7th, however, another Heavyweight who could also be a potential option will return to action. This observer is referring to undefeated WBA number one rated Heavyweight contender Fabio Wardley, who will face fellow unbeaten Heavyweight Justis Huni in a scheduled twelve round bout where Interim/Regular champion status in the WBA rankings, or in lay language the mandatory challenger position will be at stake. The fight, which will be held at the Portman Road Football Ground in Ipswich, England can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN.

This is an interesting fight in a couple of aspects. One, it is always intriguing when two unbeaten Heavyweights square off against each other, but in this case, there is a slight wrinkle attached here. The wrinkle being that Wardley was originally scheduled to face one-time Heavyweight contender Jarrell Miller, who had to withdraw from the fight due to a shoulder injury. With Miller out, in steps Justis Huni, who took the fight on one month’s notice. 

There have of course been countless scenarios throughout Boxing history where a fighter has stepped in with limited time to prepare, in some cases mere days before a scheduled bout, but whenever there is a chance with such a narrow timeframe to prepare, it is as much an adjustment for the fighter stepping in on short notice as it is for the fighter, whose scheduled opponent fell out. Some might say this fight being made with one month to prepare makes things more interesting. Not only does this fight now feature two unbeaten fighters against each other, but in terms of a clash of styles, this now has the dynamic of a puncher in Wardley, (18-0,1, with 17 Knockouts) who has knocked out seventeen of his nineteen opponents, registering a career knockout percentage just under 95% going against more of a boxer in Huni (12-0, with 7 Knockouts) than would have been the case had Jarrell Miller, a fighter also known for punching power, had not withdrawn due to injury.

While Huni has more experience going deeper into fights compared to his opponent, he does have some punching power in his own right having stopped nearly 59% of his opponents. Whether or not his punching power will come into the equation here remains to be seen, but logic suggests that he will try and extend Wardley into the deep waters of this fight by trying to box him rather than trading punches, which is always a crap shoot, especially in the Heavyweight division. 

Something one should keep in mind here is Fabio Wardley has only been the distance twice in his career earning a win and a draw in those two outings and has only been twelve rounds once and that was in the draw against Fraser Clarke in March of last year. Although that statistic may ultimately prove to be moot, it is something that for the moment seems on the surface as though it could be a factor due to the circumstances in the change of opponent for him. On the other side of the equation, Huni , after winning regional titles including the Pan-Pacific Heavyweight title, recognized by the IBF and the Oriental Heavyweight title, recognized by the WBO, this fight represents a step up against the hardest hitting opponent of his career. If he is successful, it will obviously put him right in line to face the winner of the Usyk-Dubois rematch and, despite being unbeaten, it might be a strong enough argument to be next in line as many will view it as an upset.

With the Usyk-Dubois rematch around the corner, the spotlight will be focused on the Heavyweight division for the next several weeks with not only this fight, but also former WBC Heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder preparing to make a comeback later in June as well. Will it be Wardley or Huni that will emerge victorious? We will find out Saturday, June 7th.

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

Wardley vs. Huni takes place on Saturday,June 7th at Portman Road Football Ground in Ipswich, England. The fight as well as it's full undercard can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming networks DAZN  beginning at 11:30AM ET/8:30AM PT with Before The Bell, which will feature preliminary bouts. The main card will begin at 2PM ET/11AM PT. 

(*U.S. Times Only.* Card and Start Times Subject to Change*)

For more information about DAZN  including schedules,list of compatible streaming devices, platforms,Smart TVs, Availability around the world, local start times in your area, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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Galahad Stops Dickens In 11 In Rematch At Matchroom Fight Camp

 

Longtime contender Kid Galahad made the transition from contender to world champion by stopping a “Game” but overmatched James Dickens to win the IBF Featherweight world championship on Saturday night at Matchroom Headquarters in Brentwood, England. A rematch from 2013 when the two met for the British Jr. Featherweight championship, which was won by Galahad in ten rounds, the second encounter between the two would have a similar outcome.

 

From the outset, Galahad implemented a very tactical approach that had an emphasis on both being active with his offense, but also accurate with the punches he threw. Dickens suffered a cut over the left eye in the first round as a result of an accidental clash of heads. This in addition to not being able to nullify Galahad’s hand speed and movement continued to worsen as the fight progressed. 

 

By the middle rounds, the accumulation of punishment became more visible and it appeared as though the combinations that Galahad was able to land also may have resulted in Dickens suffering a broken nose as well. After eleven rounds of mostly one way punishment, Dickens’ corner stopped the fight at the conclusion of round eleven to prevent him from suffering further punishment. Kid Galahad advances to 28-1, with 17 Knockouts. James Dickens falls to 30-4, with 11 Knockouts.

 

Also on this card:

 

Undefeated English Heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley scored a first round knockout of Nick Webb. Webb started the fight aggressively in trying to bring the fight to Wardley. In the midst of an exchange of punches, Wardley stunned Webb with a hook to the head. This oppened an opportunity for the champion to unleash a barrage of punches that sent Webb down into a corner of the ring and prompting a stoppage of the fight. Official time of the stoppage was 2:30 of round one. Fabio Wardley advances to 12-0, with 11 Knockouts. Nick Webb falls to 17-3, with 13 Knockouts.

 

In a Heavyweight slugfest unbeaten Alen Babic remained perfect by outlasting a “Game” Mark Bennett in scoring a fifth round stoppage. From the opening bell, both fighters were willing to stand and go toe to toe with just about every variation of offense one can think of. The near non-stop brawl continued with Babic gradually getting the better of the exchanges. By round five and fighting the effects of both exhaustion and an opponent that would not let him off the hook, Bennett barely managed to finish the round. Although he never was knocked down, the effects of the punishment, particularly the roundhouse hooks with both hands to the head became too much for Bennett’s corner to ignore and they stopped the fight at the conclusion of the fifth round to prevent him from further punishment. Alen Babic advances to 8-0, with 8 Knockouts. Mark Bennett falls to 7-2, with 1 Knockout.  

 

Undefeated Heavyweight Johnny Fisher scored a second round stoppage of Danny Whitaker. Fisher stunned Whitaker with a right hand to the head that sent him down on one knee. Fisher was sent down for a second time moments later with another right hand. Sensing his opponent could not recover, Fisher pressed forward following the second knockdown and a follow up barrage seemed as though it would send Whitaker down for a third time, but the bout was halted before that could happen. Official time of the stoppage was 1:08 of round two. Johnny Fisher advances to 3-0, with 3 Knockouts. Danny Whitaker falls to 4-4, with 0 Knockouts.

 

Women’s Bantamweight contender Ebanie Bridges scored a third round stoppage of Bec Connolly. Bridges was in control from the outset and while the early portion of the bout was uneventful, Bridges quickly changed that in round three connecting with a flush right uppercut to the head that sent Connolly down to the canvas. Connolly was able to get up from the knockdown, but a follow up overhand right from Bridges was enough to continue Referee Kieran McCann to stop the fight. Official time of the stoppage was 1:22 of round three. Ebanie Bridges advances to 6-1, with 3 Knockouts. Bec Connolly falls to 3-10, with 0 Knockouts.

 

Rising Jr. Lightweight prospect Aqib Fiaz began the evening with a hard fought eight round decision over Kevin Baldospino. A fight that was competitive throughout and saw several exchanges, Fiaz’ greater work rate particularly over the first four rounds was ultimately enough to secure a one point victory on the scorecard of the lone judge of the bout as all non-title fights held in the United Kingdom and Ireland that do not have an impact on regional or world rankings the Referee Kieran McCann, who scored the bout 77-76 in his favor Aqib Fiaz advances to 7-0, with 0 Knockouts. Kevin Baldospino falls to 9-6-2, with 1 Knockout.

 

Although the main story of the second week of Matchroom Boxing’s second season of its Fight Camp series will be Kid Galahad’s successfully becoming a world champion in what is becoming a rapidly crowded 126lb. Featherweight division, this card also saw the rising careers of three unbeaten Heavyweight prospects at similar stages in their development, which served as the bulk of this evening of Boxing, and the fact that all three prospects were able to score knockouts in their respective bouts should be an indication that the future is bright in regard to the British and European levels of the division and it might not be too long before we are talking about all three Fabio Wardley, Alen Babic, and Johnny Fisher as potential world contenders in due time.

 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

 

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Matchroom Fight Camp 2021 Week 2 Weights

 The official weigh-in for Saturday’s second week of the 2021  Matchroom Fight Camp series took place earlier today in Brentwood, England at Matchroom Headquarters. Weights for the entire card, which can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN and will be headlined by a rematch between Kid Galahad and James Dickens for the vacant IBF Featherweight world championship are as follows.

 

Main Event: Vacant IBF Featherweight World Championship – 12Rds.

 

Kid Galahad 126lbs. vs. James Dickens 125 1/2lbs.

 

English Heavyweight Championship – 10Rds.

 

Fabio Wardley (Champion) 235 1/2lbs. vs. Nick Webb 256lbs.

 

 

Heavyweight – 8Rds.

 

Alen Babic 210lbs.vs. Mark Bennett 272 1/2lbs.

 

 

Heavyweight – 4Rds.

 

Johnny Fisher 239 1/2lbs. vs. Danny Whitaker 259 1/2lbs.

 

 

Women’s Bantamweight – 8Rds.

 

Ebanie Bridges 118 3/4lbs. vs. Bec Connolly 119lbs.

 

 

Jr. Lightweight – 8Rds.

 

Kevin Baldospino 131 1/2lbs. vs. Aqib Fiaz 131 3/4lbs.

 

Matchroom Fight Camp: Galahad vs. Dickens II takes place on Saturday, August 7^th at Matchroom Headquarters in Brentwood, England. The entire card can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 1PM ET/10AM PT with an hour long Before The Bell preliminary show, which will feature a portion of preliminary bouts before the remainder of the card begins at 2PM ET/11AM PT (U.S, Times.) For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices/platforms/Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times in your area, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com.

 

*Card Subject To Change

 

The Boxing Truth®️ is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

 

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