The fight was one of the toughest fights of Wardley’s career. He dropped Dubois early and found success in the opening rounds before the momentum swung heavily in the champion’s favor. Towards the later stages, Wardley absorbed sustained punishment before the fight was stopped in the 11th round.
Jones questioned whether Wardley should even consider a return before the end of the year.
“I think Fabio Wardley is the toughest man you will ever meet. But is he going to be ready for this year to have a rematch? Do you remember how brutal that fight was?” Jones told 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 fighter and said he fully understood why Wardley activated the rematch clause.
At the same time, he suggested that 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’d looked at Fabio I’d have said, ‘Listen mate, you need a year to regroup.’
Whether Wardley follows that advice is another matter.
Wardley activated the rematch clause after the loss, although 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.
