Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley delivered one of the most brutal and breathtaking heavyweight encounters in recent memory, if not of all time.
Quite how they managed to enter the 11th round is beyond belief, yet somehow both men remained on their feet as referee Howard Foster drew a halt to the contest.
Floored within seconds of the opener, Dubois scrambled back to his feet and stepped to Wardley, only to suffer a second knockdown in round three.
Still, the 28-year-old refused to capitulate, continuing to press forward like a man possessed.
Gradually turning the tide in his favour, Dubois established a strong jab and showed tidy footwork, inspiring Wardley to launch the same monstrous right hand time and again.
His face a bloody mess, Wardley repeatedly seemed inches away from hitting the canvas, yet never stopped attempting to restore his early momentum.
On several occasions, there was a clear opportunity for either his corner, the referee or the ringside doctor to pull him out of this chaos, but the madness only continued as the 31-year-old demonstrated an otherworldly level of toughness.
Eventually, there was simply no option but for someone to intervene, as referee Foster saved the brave but wounded warrior to fight another day.
Prior to their showdown we were told, ‘Don’t Blink’, which proved to be crucial advice as we witnessed pure drama and fighting spirit between two remarkable athletes.
After having his hand raised, and thus becoming a two-time world heavyweight champion, Dubois seemed far more willing to seize the microphone than he did earlier this week.
"It was a war,” he yelled. “We came through some sticky moments. Thank you for that, Fabio!
"I know I’ve got heart, bundles of heart. I’m a warrior in there. [Wardley’s] a durable guy, a great warrior. I thank him for a great fight."
- Daniel Dubois (DAZN)
Despite a frosty build-up to their heavyweight war, it is only natural for Dubois to feel a surge of respect for his gallant opponent.
As for his immediate future, promoter Frank Warren explained during the same post-fight interview that there is, in fact, a rematch clause in the contract.
This gives Wardley the option to demand a repeat of their instant classic, pursuing the opportunity to reclaim his WBO title.
Alternatively, heavyweight prodigy Moses Itauma confirmed on DAZN earlier this evening that he would face Dubois in a heartbeat, but only for a world title.
It therefore seems that ‘Dynamite’ has left himself with at least two potential options, but must first recover from the effects of his extraordinary battle.
