Trainer Ben Davison, who works with Fabio Wardley, has addressed criticism on social media for not stopping the fight against Daniel Dubois sooner. Fans were surprised that Davison didn’t intervene as Wardley faced a barrage of punches from Dubois in the later rounds.
Acknowledging that the fight could have been halted earlier, Davison explained that he didn’t realize Wardley had stumbled towards the doctor. He defended his decision, noting Wardley’s resilience in responding to Dubois’ attacks in the 10th and 11th rounds. Dubois, at 28, demonstrated mental toughness by getting up from the canvas twice to defeat Wardley in the 11th round.
Despite Wardley knocking Dubois down within 10 seconds of the match and again in the third round, Dubois came back strong, inflicting significant damage on Wardley before the fight was stopped in the 11th round by the referee.
Critics questioned why Davison allowed the fight to continue when it was evident that Dubois was close to delivering a potentially devastating blow. Some fans expressed disappointment in Davison’s decision-making, believing it negatively impacted Wardley’s career.
Davison, known for his timing in throwing in the towel, had previously received praise for his actions in other fights involving top boxers like Tyson Fury and Leigh Wood. In a statement on Instagram, Davison defended his handling of the Wardley-Dubois bout, emphasizing the challenge of determining the right moment to stop a fight when the boxer is still responsive and fighting back.
While opinions varied on the fight’s conclusion, Davison admitted that the match could have been stopped earlier, but ultimately supported the referee’s decision. He highlighted Wardley’s remarkable journey from humble beginnings to becoming a heavyweight champion, underscoring the difficulty of guiding a fighter against the best in the world.
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