At the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England, on Saturday night, promoter Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions presented “Don’t Blink” on DAZN, headlined by a dramatic heavyweight clash between Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois.
In the main event, former WBA and IBF heavyweight champion Daniel “Dynamite” Dubois, 23-3 (22 KOs), stopped WBO heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley, 20-1-1 (19 KOs), at 0:28 of Round 11 in a scheduled 12-round bout. Wardley dropped Dubois in the first round and again in the third with heavy right hands, but Dubois recovered and gradually broke Wardley down with sustained pressure and combinations. By the later rounds, Wardley’s face was badly marked up, and he was absorbing heavy punishment before referee Howard Foster stepped in to stop the fight.
British, Commonwealth, and WBC Silver welterweight champion Jack “Demolition Man” Rafferty, 27-0-1 (18 KOs) stopped former WBO Global welterweight champion Ekow “The Engine” Essuman, 22-3 (8 KOs), 146¾ lbs, of Nottingham, after six rounds of a scheduled 10-round fight. Essuman suffered a cut over his left eye in the third round, and his corner stopped the fight after the sixth. Referee: John Latham.
Former WBA super middleweight champion David Morrell, 12-2 (9 KOs), was knocked out by Zak Chelli, 17-3-1 (8 KOs) at 2:24 of the 10th and final round. Referee Darren Sarginson halted the bout after Chelli overwhelmed Morrell with punches near the ropes.
Light heavyweight Bradley “The Sting” Rea, 22-2 (11 KOs), defeated Liam “Cannonball” Cameron, 24-8-1 (10 KOs) by a fourth-round TKO in a scheduled 10-round fight. Rea dropped Cameron twice before referee Bob Williams waved off the contest.
Super lightweight Gavin Gwynne, 19-4-2 (5 KOs) beat Khaleel “Major” Majid, 16-1 (4 KOs) by a 10-round majority decision. Gwynne suffered cuts over both eyes from accidental head clashes. Scores were 95-95 and 96-94 twice. Referee: Michael Alexander.
Cruiserweight Mike Perez, 32-3-1 (22 KOs), outpointed Franklin Arinze, 10-1 (7 KOs), by an eight-round points decision. Referee Darren Sarginson scored it 78-74.
Heavyweight Bakhodir “The Big Uzbek” Jalolov, 17-0 (15 KOs), stopped southpaw Agron Smakici, 21-4 (19 KOs), after seven rounds of a scheduled 10-round bout. Referee Darren Sarginson halted the contest after the seventh.
Super middleweight Javokhir Ummataliev, 2-0 (1 KO) stopped Damian Drabik, 5-3 (5 KOs) in the second round of a scheduled six-round fight. Ummataliev knocked Drabik out with a left hand to the head as the round was ending. Referee Darren Sarginson counted Drabik out.
Super lightweight Bobbi Flood, 2-0 (1 KO), beat southpaw Nathan Darby, 3-38-3, by a four-round points decision. Referee Howard Foster scored it 40-36.
Super welterweight Issiah Hamilton-Allen, 2-0, defeated Chris “Mulla” Mulunda, 2-1, by a four-round decision. Referee Howard Foster scored the bout 39-37.