Fury believes Wardley can recover mentally from the knockout loss but fears another brutal fight with Dubois could end badly
Tyson Fury believes Fabio Wardley can recover mentally from the first knockout loss of his career, but he does not think an immediate rematch with Daniel Dubois is worth the risk. Fury warned that another heavyweight war like their first fight could leave permanent damage after the punishment both men absorbed in Manchester.
“Having your first knockout loss has a real effect. If you look at Deontay Wilder, for instance, he was 44-0 when I knocked him out, and he hasn’t recovered from it even six years later.
“So, it can do a lot to a man’s mind. But, I don’t think that Fabio is the same, mentally, as Wilder, anyway, so I think that he can come back from that for sure,” said Tyson Fury to FurociTV.
Fury still questioned whether an immediate second fight with Dubois is the smartest move after the amount of punishment both heavyweights absorbed in the first meeting.
“I wouldn’t advise it, but he could go back in for the rematch with Dubois, a fight that could completely and utterly end you, if it’s as brutal again, which it has to be,” said Fury about Wardley.
“No disrespect to the boys, they are great fighting men, but there is not a lot of avoiding punches in there, it’s just mainly giving and taking it.”
The first fight turned into one of the wildest heavyweight battles of the year, with Daniel Dubois surviving two early knockdowns before taking over and stopping Fabio Wardley in the 11th round to capture the WBO heavyweight title. Wardley’s team later confirmed the rematch clause had been triggered, with a second fight expected later this year.
