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Fabio Wardley needs more time for his rematch with Daniel Dubois, says Olympic super-heavyweight gold medalist Audley Harrison.
Wardley dropped Dubois twice but lost his WBO world championship in the 11th round of their brutal heavyweight slugfest.
Badly wounded in the later stages of the battle, Wardley never went down. The referee eventually stopped him on his feet.
But Harrison is convinced Wardley should have been brought out earlier. “It was one round too many in my opinion,” he said Sky Sports News.
“I think the warrior had nothing left. Warriors want to go out on their shields.
“You have to make the right decision for what’s in front of you given the situation.”
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Daniel Dubois stopped Fabio Wardley in the eleventh round of an incredible heavyweight fight and became a two-time world champion. Fight highlights courtesy of DAZN
Wardley has a rematch clause in his contract. Harrison hopes he can trigger it and secure a second fight with Dubois, though he believes Wardley needs more time for that rematch.
“In the boxing world when you have a rematch clause it’s very hard not to take it, that’s what we usually see,” Harrison said.
“I want Tim Wardley, along with Ben Davison (his trainer), to look in the mirror and say we need to go back to the drawing board and we need to fix some things so we can be successful in the fight.
“The guy came from white collar boxing and he’s been able to fast track himself. It’s amazing what they’ve done but now you have to go to the gym and actually fix some things so you can be more competitive in the rematch.”
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Daniel Dubois had nothing but praise for Fabio Wardley following their sensational fight for the WBO heavyweight belt at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena.
But Harrison pointed out: “That doesn’t really happen in boxing. You have a rematch clause, if you don’t take it now you don’t get it in 12 months. You’re forced to do it.
“I think the rematch is going to happen because the way boxing is, it’s very hard not to say that money, just to get that opportunity to get him back.”
For Harrison, it was Dubois’ foundation of boxing skills that ultimately made the difference between him and Wardley.
“DuBois started using the fundamentals of boxing on him in the fifth or sixth round and started beating him,” Harrison said.
“Technically I think Dubois did a great job and I think that’s what sets him apart.”
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