Fabio Wardley is throwing down a defiant defense of his coach, Ben Davison, after stablemate Moses Itauma’s bid for history came up short against Filip Hrgovic on Saturday. Itauma was gunning to be the second-youngest world heavyweight champion ever, but the dream died hard, leading to a torrent of criticism aimed squarely at his gym and Davison. Wardley, who trains under Davison too, isn’t having any of it.
The Collapse That Sparked a Firestorm
It all went down at London’s O2 Arena. Itauma, only 21, looked dominant for eight rounds against Filip Hrgovic, but he absolutely punched himself out. By the ninth, he was visibly exhausted, and his corner made the tough but necessary call, throwing in the towel. The real kicker? Itauma had admitted before the fight that he’d never even gone 12 rounds in sparring. That confession, combined with the result, ignited a huge backlash. Questions started flying about his preparation, about the gym, and about coach Davison. It’s rough to see a fighter gas out like that after a strong start, especially when a world title is on the line.
Wardley’s Turn to Prove the Doubters Wrong
This isn’t Wardley’s first rodeo with this kind of criticism. He lost his first fight to Daniel Dubois in a similar way, gassing late after dominating the early stages of the bout. Unlike Itauma, Wardley, 31, took significant punishment, with the fight being waived off in the 11th round against Dubois; his corner didn’t throw in the towel. But now, with a WBO title rematch against “Dynamite” Dubois set for October 17, Wardley is ready to silence the noise. He’s dismissed the criticism of Davison as “delusional” and sees it as his moment. “I do feel like it’s my turn,” Wardley declared, expressing confidence Itauma will bounce back. “It’s my turn to do my bit for the gym. It’s my turn to prove because I’ve been overwhelmed by the amount of criticism he’s received and just almost in shock of just like, I don’t know another trainer in British boxing that gets so much stick after a loss.” He’s wearing that criticism like armor, ready to prove what the team can do.
Unwavering Trust and What Comes Next
Wardley’s trust in his corner is rock solid. He insists his team handled his fight against Dubois “perfectly.” He’s had Robert Hodgins as his coach since he first put on gloves, and Davison has been with him for five to seven years. “These aren’t new people,” Wardley emphasized. “They’ve seen me at hard spas. They’ve seen me through hard fights and hard moments and hard occasions. They know my durability and what I can go through and how I can come out on the other side.” Queensberry promoter Frank Warren also defended Davison, noting that his involvement in high-profile fights naturally brings more scrutiny. However, Warren did confirm there will be conversations about fight management after Itauma’s inability to finish his bout. On October 17, Wardley gets his chance to back up his words and prove the gym’s worth, and you know he’s going to leave everything he’s got in the ring.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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