The bout was one of the toughest fights of Wardley’s career. He dropped Dubois early and had success in the opening rounds before the momentum swung heavily in the champion’s favor. By the later stages, Wardley was absorbing sustained punishment before the fight was stopped in the 11th round.
Jones questioned whether Wardley should even be considering a return before the end of the year.
“I think Fabio Wardley is the hardest man you’ll ever meet. But is he going to be ready for this year to have a rematch? Remember how barbaric that fight was?” said Jones to Boxing King Media.
“His nose was bad. He took a bit of a beating, especially towards the end of the fight. Is he going to be ready to fight Daniel again by the end of the year? Who knows?”
Jones made it clear he has no doubts about Wardley’s willingness to fight again. He described the former champion as a warrior and said he fully understands why Wardley activated the rematch clause.
At the same time, he suggested emotion and toughness should not be the only factors guiding the decision.
“I do think Fabio shouldn’t box for the rest of the year. If I was looking after Fabio, I’d be like, ‘Listen mate, you need a year out to regroup.’”
Whether Wardley follows that advice is another matter.
Wardley activated the rematch clause following the defeat, though no date has been announced for a second fight with Dubois. The heavyweight champion has recently been linked to several potential opponents while the situation remains unresolved.
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