A GENERATIONAL CLASSIC

I know that sometimes you can find yourself caught up in the moment, but I am struggling to recall a more thrilling heavyweight fight than what was served up by Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley in Manchester on Saturday.

It was simply sensational and I am pretty sure we were all gripped from the first second to the last.

As the old saying goes, it takes two to tango and both of these giants played a major part in what was, at times, a topsy-turvy encounter, especially with Daniel being plonked on his backside in the opening moments of the first round.

Daniel proved that he is made of the right stuff by regrouping effectively, before having to repeat the trick in the third after getting caught again. He was very wise and showed experience by removing himself from the firing line.

Aside from the knockdowns, Daniel showed great poise, discipline and control, always leaving something in the tank for the later rounds.

I have always emphasised that his jab remains his premium weapon and so it came to pass again. With the jab in full working order, you keep your shape and also become more difficult to hit.

Fabio, as ever, was always in the fight and he had the mindset of a champion in refusing to buckle under the heaviest fire.

Even when he was virtually out on his feet he still carried danger, which is why Daniel was smart not to overcommit. 

What was also striking about this fight was the athleticism of the two fighters. Heavyweight fights can sometimes be a bit one-paced, but with these two it was like a couple of middleweights knocking lumps out of each other.

This is heavyweight boxing at its finest and all the others have got a lot to live up to now.

The whole night was spectacular and the crowd of 18,000-plus were engrossed. It provided a happy reminder of the health of British boxing, where the appetite for big fights remains as strong as ever.

We’ve now got another British heavyweight champion to enjoy, which will mean yet another major event before the year is out for the new WBO world champion.

Both men, and Fabio especially, will need time and space to recoup and recover now because being involved in a fight like this one is a punishing business and they both put everything on the line.

When he is ready, Fabio will come back and his standing has not been diminished in any way. We are with him and, when the time is right, we will put him right back in the picture.

There was so much else to admire at the magnificent Co-op Live, not least the sight of Zak Chelli changing his life with an against all odds success over David Morrell, a two-time world champion with a huge reputation.

It turned out to be Zak’s moment in time and now he can become a big player in the booming light heavyweight division, just like Brad Rea following his slaying of Liam Cameron in the fourth round.

I was also hugely impressed with the composure and clinical nature of Jack Rafferty’s performance against Ekow Essuman in his first welterweight assignment. The extra seven pounds really worked in his favour and I believe Jack can now make some big moves.

Then we had the humdinger at super lightweight between Khaleel Majid and Gavin Gwynne, which Gavin took on the cards and congratulations go to him.

The Queensberry Heavyweight Train now moves on to Doncaster Rovers FC for the showdown between local hero Dave Allen and Croatian contender Filip Hrgovic.

I’m sure Dave was watching on Saturday and I wonder if he takes inspiration from the exploits of Zak Chelli against world class opposition?