Fabio Wardley has been urged to retire following his second-round stoppage loss to Daniel Dubois, with concerns raised regarding the cumulative damage sustained throughout his recent career.
The 31-year-old returned to the ring on Saturday night seeking to reclaim the WBO title he lost via an 11th-round stoppage to Dubois in May. Although Wardley scored two early knockdowns in their first encounter, Dubois controlled the majority of that contest.
Consequently, Dubois entered the rematch as a heavy favorite and immediately asserted dominance, flooring Wardley within the opening 20 seconds. Despite Wardley beating the count, he faced relentless pressure, prompting his corner to throw in the towel during the second round.
With Dubois retaining his world heavyweight title and targeting unification bouts, Wardley’s immediate future remains uncertain. Speaking to Boxing News, IBF champion Filip Hrgovic suggested the Ipswich native should exit the sport while financially secure.
“I think he should retire. He didn’t look good; he made [a] bunch of money … he did miracle – he became world champion without amateur career.
“He received a lot of damage in his last five [to] six fights, and he should retire and enjoy [his life].
“Daniel Dubois start normal, with the jab – he didn’t do anything special. Wardley just wasn’t in a [good] place from the beginning.”
Few anticipated that Wardley, who had only four white-collar bouts before turning professional, would ascend to world championship level.