Fabio Wardley was spotted comforting his mother following his devastating defeat to Daniel Dubois at the WBO heavyweight title bout in Manchester on Saturday evening.
The 31-year-old Ipswich fighter surrendered his belt in his maiden defence, with Dubois securing a brutal stoppage in the eleventh round.
By that stage, Wardley's face showed significant damage, his right eye swollen shut and blood streaming from his nose.
Concerns had mounted throughout the later rounds, with figures including former two-weight world champion Carl Frampton suggesting the contest should have been halted sooner.
Despite the alarming state of his injuries, Wardley leaned against the ropes to reassure his family.
"I'm okay, I'm okay," he told his mother Shonni-leigh, who replied: "I love you, I am so proud of you."
Wardley had made a strong start to the contest, flooring Dubois twice during the opening three rounds.
However, the momentum shifted as the fight progressed, with the 28-year-old challenger gradually outboxing the champion.
As the rounds wore on, Wardley's condition became increasingly concerning, with the fighter visibly struggling as he moved to and from his corner.
No official update on Wardley's health has yet been released following the stoppage.
I'm not crying, you're crying ðŸ˜#WardleyDubois pic.twitter.com/KaxoYbnI2L
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) May 9, 2026
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The scenes in the final rounds had prompted growing alarm among those watching, with many in the boxing community believing intervention should have come earlier than it did.
The bout has already been hailed as one of the finest heavyweight contests in recent memory.
Chris Eubank Jr took to X to declare it the fight of the year for 2026.
Promoter Frank Warren was equally effusive in his praise, describing the encounter as the best heavyweight bout he has ever staged.
"These two guys showed such heart, great heart," Warren said in the ring. "It was an amazing fight, absorbing, exciting."
Warren added that while Dubois had returned to the top, Wardley would also bounce back, calling him a "true, true, brave, gutsy man."
The promoter confirmed a rematch clause exists in the contract, though nothing has been formally announced.
Dubois expressed his gratitude to Wardley for their fierce encounter during his post-fight interview.
"We came through the sticky moments. Thank you, Fabio, for that. Thank you," the new champion said. "What a great fight, what a great battle, man."
The victory opens up significant opportunities for Dubois, who now holds the WBO strap.
Unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk had previously indicated his interest in facing the winner of Saturday's clash.
However, a meeting between the Ukrainian and Dubois may prove less appealing given their history, with Usyk having already defeated the Londoner on two occasions. The Ukrainian is scheduled to face Rico Verhoeven on 23 May.
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