Fabio Wardley could trigger a rematch clause to force a rematch with Daniel Dubois.
Dubois defeated Wardley in a brutal 11-round fight in Manchester on Saturday, stopping the Ipswich man from winning the WBO heavyweight title.
Dubois would welcome a rematch, but he also needs time to recover.
“I’m going to have another good run. I need plenty of rest now,” Dubois said.
“I want to congratulate Fabio on a great fight. What a fighter he is. He’s a tough guy. He took my shots and tested me. If the rematch happens, I’d love to have the fight.”
With his victory over Wardley, Dubois will become a two-time world champion, and the way he fought will erase the doubts that have surrounded him since his one-sided loss to Oleksandr Usyk in a rematch last year.
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Daniel Dubois received strong instructions and two slaps from trainer Don Charles after falling behind against Fabio Wardley. Highlight provided by: DAZN
Trainer Don Charles, who briefly parted ways with Dubois after his loss to Usyk, said, “No human being on this planet will ever question this kid again.”
“Indeed, don’t question him in front of me. What he has shown is that he has erased any doubts about all the negative stories.
“I’m almost glad the game went the way it did because we won. That way he could prove that the narrative of this game being called off was incorrect. I think he ticked all the boxes.”
Wardley dropped Dubois 10 seconds into the fight and sent Dubois back to the canvas in the third round.
“We were a little nervous at first, a little confused here and there, but we pulled together and got the win,” Dubois said.
“I was knocked down and needed to get back up. I felt like a warrior who dug deep and came back. I wasn’t going to be denied. I owed it to my dad and the people in my corner, and I couldn’t let them down.”
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Daniel Dubois had nothing but praise for Fabio Wardley after their sensational fight for the WBO heavyweight belt at Manchester’s Coop Live Arena
As the match progressed, Dubois almost completely shifted the momentum of the fight in his direction. It got uglier for Wardley, who absorbed a frightening number of power punches from Dubois. His toughness and sheer willpower somehow kept him upright. However, his face was badly disfigured and he received a heavy punishment.
He looked dangerous as he rose from the stool at the start of the 10th round, barely able to put his feet down, but was once again under attack by Dubois before the referee intervened.
However, it was a very exciting fight to watch and promoter Frank Warren was comfortable calling it off.
“I can’t fault this game,” Warren said. “It was a great game. Two unbelievable athletes who acted like sportsmen in the end.”
“It’s a unique sport called boxing, and there are a lot of unique people.”
