Teen darts sensation Luke Littler delivered high praise for the intense heavyweight showdown between Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley at Manchester’s Co-op Arena on Saturday night.
Brutal Battle Unfolds
The 28-year-old Dubois from Greenwich hit the canvas twice in the opening three rounds but rallied strongly. He dominated Wardley, leaving him bloodied with a broken nose and fighting with one eye for much of the bout. Referees halted the action in the 11th round amid the 18,000-strong crowd.
Littler, the world No. 1 in darts and a dedicated boxing enthusiast, arrived early at 6 p.m. to catch the full undercard.
Littler’s Glowing Verdict
In a post-fight interview, Littler declared the clash one of the greatest heavyweight fights ever. “I don’t think it should have been stopped,” he said. “But I was surprised Fabio lasted those last three or four rounds. That’s one of the best heavyweight fights you will ever see. It was unbelievable.”
Boxing analyst Wally Downes Jr. echoed the sentiment: “Quite honestly, it was something sensational to watch. Daniel Dubois was dropped within the first 10 seconds of the fight by a right hand. He was back on the deck again in the third where he took a knee. In the past, Dubois has struggled with those ‘quitter’ attacks, but tonight, he defied it. He denied it, and he incredibly overwhelmed Fabio Wardley. Wardley fought with one eye for most of the fight and a broken nose. It was magnificent – it was a war.”
Moment Littler Missed
Despite focusing intently on the ring, the 19-year-old Littler overlooked Dubois’s first-round knockdown, which occurred just 10 seconds in. He explained he was chatting with rising boxing star Moses Itauma at the time. “The first knockdown, in the first round, happened so fast that I didn’t even see it, I was talking to Moses!”
No Ring Plans for Littler
Littler revealed he has no intentions of entering the boxing ring himself, citing his girlfriend Faith Miller’s wishes. “I’d love to, but the missus does not want me to,” he stated.
However, he expressed openness to a one-off appearance on an unlicensed influencer card. “I’d love to. A one-off definitely, on Misfits,” he added.
