Opinions and Observations: Wardley-Dubois

Where to even begin?

Wardley-Dubois will be remembered for generations. It was one of those epic heavyweight clashes that was a testament to the sport at its finest. This was two power punchers giving no quarter. 

Wardley drops Dubois two times in the first three rounds, but Dubois is undeterred. Dubois punishes and pulverizes Wardley throughout the rest of the bout, but Wardley doesn't go down swinging; no, he refuses to go down. When the referee mercifully stops the fight in the 11th, Dubois regains a portion of the heavyweight title but has to walk through fire to get there. Now, Dubois can finally silence his critics. There can be no more questions about his guts or makeup. 

By the start of the ninth round, Wardley's face was a mess. He had a cut over his left eye, his nose was busted and his right eye was almost completely closed. The ringside physician checked Wardley's eye and nose. Many fights had been stopped for far less. But the doctor let the match continue.

Dubois hit the canvas twice in the fight
Photo courtesy of Queensberry Promotions

Yet Wardley starts the ninth landing jabs, hard uppercuts and those piercing right hands that sent Dubois down in the first and third rounds. Here was Wardley's moment, why his trainer Ben Davison refused to pull the plug on the fight. His fighter had turned the tide in recent fights against Justis Huni and Jospeh Parker. Could he pull one more rabbit out of his hat? 

He could not. Dubois has faced criticism throughout his career for taking knees, not getting up from knockdowns, and not persevering past injuries, but in this fight he didn't let Wardley's big punches get the best of him. Similar to the end of the seventh when Wardley had an impressive power-punching sequence, Dubois took everything in the ninth yet was undaunted. He would continue to bludgeon Wardley with his sledgehammer right hands and thudding jabs. 

Ultimately, referee Howard Foster stopped the bout in the beginning of the 11th round. Davison has been taking a lot of criticism for failing to protect his fighter (after the fight he posted that he agreed with the stoppage), but from where I sit, his reluctance to stop the fight was understandable.  

In truth this was a hard decision to make. Although Wardley was running on fumes and taking an enormous beating, he continued to throw shots with real menace. He didn't just land in the seventh and ninth rounds, he connected with the types of knockout blows that had led to 19 stoppages in his previous 21 fights. It's just that Dubois was able to take them. No one will ever question Wardley's heart after Saturday's matchup; he refused to go down. But it was Dubois' engine, technique, and thunder that wound up being the ultimate separators.

Although Dubois did display other punches at points in the fight, he chiefly prevailed with his jab and straight right hand. After adjusting to Wardley's wide right hands, he was able to beat Wardley to the punch throughout the fight. Of all the things that impressed me the most with Dubois in the match, his counter jab was number one on my list. While Wardley would telegraph the looping right, Dubois would get there first with the counter jab, which landed like a power punch and is the main reason Wardley's right eye closed. 

And there were other points where Wardley would initiate with a right hand, but Dubois would beat him with his own right. Dubois' economy of movement and superior technique resulted in winning exchanges all fight. Dubois was also masterful as a lead. Again, mostly with two punches, he imposed significant damage on Wardley.  

In theory Wardley's wide punching, with rear hooks that can be unpredictable and tough to track, should have posed a big threat to Dubois, and they did. But to Dubois' credit, defensively he was good enough to avoid most of them. There were countless sequences where Wardley wound up swinging at air. Dubois will never be known for his defense, but it was a crucial factor in the fight. 

Dubois pasting Wardley with a power shot
Photo courtesy of Queensberry Promotions

As for Wardley, the man from white-collar boxing who somehow became a heavyweight titleholder, he finally met his match. The dream ride has now been derailed. On another night he could have won this. Maybe he should have pressed Dubois more in the third round for the stoppage. Perhaps he thought that he would have more opportunities later in the fight. 

But now his future looks a lot different in the sport. He took a hellacious beating on Saturday, the type that could change the trajectory of a life, let alone a career. Although his skill deficiency was well known prior to facing Dubois, his punching had always been able to carry the day. But he took too many hard shots on Saturday. His defense wasn't good enough. His movement was ponderous and often counterproductive for both offensive and defensive purposes. And he showed that when the chips were down that he didn't believe enough in his punch arsenal to rely on much beside his right-hand haymakers. 

If Wardley does decide to return, he will need to rethink several aspects of his ring style. He no longer can believe that boxing is essentially a tough man contest but with different rules. A referee can stop a fight, so can a physician or a corner. His defense will have to get better. He will need to learn more evasion tactics. He also must do more with his left hand. 

But if he does call it a day, or even if he never returns to the top end of the heavyweight division, he has already provided a career full of memories. In fact, his story is so unbelievable that Hollywood studio executives would toss a similar, made-up pitch. Whoever would believe that a random guy with little training, fighting in his spare time for a few bucks, would go on to beat Olympians and win a world title? 

Dubois now has a record of 23-3 with 22 knockouts. He's amassed stoppage wins over Wardley, Hrgovic, Joshua and Miller. He's also been stopped three times, twice by waving his own white flag. But the record doesn't tell the whole story. In this fight and against Kevin Lerena, he was hurt badly in the first round by temple shots, where he had to take a knee to recover. And yet there were other fights, like against Hrgovic and Joshua, where he took enormous right hands without ever hitting the canvas. Dubois lost to Joyce when his eye blew up from jabs and was also wiped out by Usyk's "Ivan" punch, that left hand which isn't exactly a straight shot or a hook. 

All of this is a roundabout way of saying it's still tough to figure out exactly what Dubois is and isn't. We know that he's one of the hardest punchers in the sport. We also know that he's susceptible to those with craft. Despite being on the world boxing stage for many years, he's still much of an enigma. We just don't know what we're going to get each fight. But it's been a riveting watch. 

Win or lose, Dubois has been terrific value in the sport. His attritional war against Miller opened eyes regarding his internal fortitude. He won the battle of concussive punchers against Joshua. He was getting beaten to a pulp in the first two rounds against Hrgovic yet turned the tide. He was wiped out by Usyk so conclusively in their rematch that it's amazing he was able to make it back to the world level and win another heavyweight title belt. This is an atypical fighter with reservoirs of internal strength that have been missed by much of the public. 

Dubois is still just 28 and he should have at least another half-a-decade of this thrill ride. His trajectory could wind up anywhere. He encapsulates the current heavyweight division outside of Usyk. He could beat almost anyone, but he's never far from peril. He's played a key role in a thrilling decade of heavyweight fights and somehow, he's only mid-journey. 

Dubois's career has been unusual, filled with setbacks, unexpected victories, moments of grandeur, and nothing short of drama. He's a fighter that has achieved so much and yet his future still seems so unsettled. But that gap, that unknown quality both in and out of the ring, reels us in. He's a puzzle. A puzzle we want to solve. And we are still far away from having all the pieces in place.

Adam Abramowitz is the founder and head writer of saturdaynightboxing.com. 

He's a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Panel, the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Email: saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

snboxing on twitter. SN Boxing on Facebook 

The 2025 Saturday Night Boxing Awards

As 2025 has come to a close, it's time to honor the best that men’s boxing had to offer during the year. Here is the 15th edition of the Saturday Night Boxing Awards. The 2025 awards are given to best fighter, fight, knockout, round, upset, trainer, promoter, network, and referee of the year. 

Fighter of the Year: Terence Crawford

Terence Crawford, now a two-time winner of the SNB Fighter of the Year, moved up two weight classes to defeat future Hall of Famer Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, becoming undisputed champion at super middleweight. Crawford has now been undisputed at three weight classes (junior welterweight, welterweight and super middleweight), a remarkable accomplishment. 

Photo courtesy of Ed Mulholland/TKO Promotions

Crawford dominated the second half of the Canelo fight, where his hand speed and combinations were superior. By the 11th round, Canelo was looking outside of the ring during the fight action, clearly frustrated by his inability to fend off Crawford. Crawford also had a memorable 12th round, hitting Canelo with dazzling power shots with both hands. It was a hard-earned victory for Crawford. His excellence in the championship rounds proved to be the difference on the judges' scorecards. 

Crawford announced his retirement in December. He leaves the sport with a perfect record of 42-0 with 31 knockouts. Winning world titles from as low as lightweight to as high as super middleweight, only a couple of his fights were ever in doubt on the scorecards. He was perhaps one of the best switch hitters of all time and could be a ruthless finisher. 2025 was a perfect capper to a tremendous career. 

Previous SNB Fighters of the Year:

• 2024: Oleksandr Usyk
• 2023: (tie) Terence Crawford and Naoya Inoue
• 2022: Dmitry Bivol
• 2021: Saul Alvarez
• 2020: Teofimo Lopez
• 2019: Saul Alvarez
• 2018: Oleksandr Usyk
• 2017: Srisaket Sor Rungvisai
• 2016: Carl Frampton
• 2015: Floyd Mayweather
• 2014: Naoya Inoue
• 2013: Adonis Stevenson
• 2012: Nonito Donaire
• 2011: Andre Ward 

Fight of the Year: Kenshiro Teraji-Seigo Yuri Akui  

This flyweight championship unification fight was not only a war of attrition but it featured some of the best mid- and short-range fighting of the year. Teraji and Akui, former sparring partners, spent much of the fight mirroring each other. Both featured similar punch arsenals, went to the body ferociously, unfurled vicious uppercuts, and set an insane work rate. 

The fight was mostly contested in the center of the ring at mid-range. Teraji would circle behind the jab and quick combinations to the body and head. Akui's money punch was his straight right hand, and punch for punch, that was the best weapon in the fight.

Although neither fighter wanted to take a step back, by the fifth round Akui had successfully flushed Teraji out of the pocket with punishing right hands and body shots. In the 7th, Teraji impressed with lead right uppercuts, often doubling them up. Those shots made Akui temporarily retreat. But in the ninth Akui was coming forward again and despite having the lower KO percentage, it was his power punches that seemed to have more of an effect. 

At the start of the 12th, Teraji went on the offensive. He landed a big right hand that was his most damaging shot of the fight. Akui retreated to the ropes, something he had not done all fight and a clear indicator that he was hurt. Teraji followed up with bracing body shots with both hands. 

Akui survived the onslaught, but he wasn’t offering much in return, and when he did, he lacked conviction. Teraji kept throwing big shots and ultimately referee Katsuhiko Nakamura stopped the fight. In real time, the stoppage seemed premature, but Akui collapsed immediately after the fight was waved off. Nakamura saw something in Akui that told him it was the right move, and it was (more on this in the Referee of the Year). 

As for Teraji, he was trailing on two of the cards going into the 12th round. He needed something dramatic to get the victory, and boy did he deliver! Teraji-Akui was 12 rounds of unrelenting, unforgettable action. 

Previous SNB Fights of the Year: 

• 2024: Kholmatov-Ford
• 2023: Nery-Hovhannisyan
• 2022: Wood-Conlan
• 2021: Fury-Wilder III
• 2020: Zepeda-Baranchyk
• 2019: Inoue-Donaire
• 2018: Chisora-Takam
• 2017: Joshua-Klitschko
• 2016: Vargas-Salido
• 2015: Miura-Vargas
• 2014: Coyle-Brizuela
• 2013: Bradley-Provodnikov
• 2012: Pacquiao-Marquez IV
• 2011: Rios-Acosta 

Knockout of the Year: (tie) Fabio Wardley KO 10 Justis Huni and Brian Norman KO 5 Jin Sasaki.

In a year with so many memorable knockouts, these two stood out to me and I just couldn't choose between them. Wardley's knockout was one of those out-of-the blue shots. Huni, who had the better amateur pedigree, was easily outboxing Wardley through nine rounds. He was so dominant in the fight that going into the 10th, he was up by seven rounds on two cards and five rounds on the third. He essentially just had to stay on his feet to win. 

But Huni didn't intend to run out the clock. He wanted to make an emphatic statement; this was his chance to showcase his class in a deep heavyweight division. With 1:30 left in the 10th, he started a one-two in the center of the ring, but he made a terrible mistake: He jabbed from too close. Wardley slipped the jab to the inside and immediately fired off a counter right. Huni instantaneously hit the canvas. 

It was a shot out of nowhere! Huni rolled around and made it to his feet, but he was in no position to continue. And as sluggish as Wardley looked in this fight (more on him in the Round of the Year), as the old saying goes, "a puncher only needs to be right once." This was the proof. 

Brian Norman had already caused damage earlier in his fight against Jin Sasaki (the bout was for a vacant welterweight title). Norman had knocked Sasaki down twice in the first round with left hooks. And although Norman had continued to get the better of the action in the fight, by the fifth round Sasaki was still firing power punches and giving it his best. 

At 2:23 left in the round, Sasaki landed a jab to the body and then froze, standing right in front of Norman, admiring his work. Norman, taking advantage of the opportunity, fired off a leaping left hook. The force of the punch was so severe that Sasaki's body hit the canvas first and then a second time when his head hit the canvas. The fight was immediately waved off, a ferocious shot with devastating consequences. 

Previous SNB Knockouts of the Year: 

• 2024: Jesse Rodriguez KO 7 Juan Estrada
• 2023: Junto Nakatani KO 12 Andrew Moloney
• 2022: Leigh Wood TKO 12 Michael Conlan
• 2021: Gabe Rosado KO 3 Bektemir Melikuziev
• 2020: (tie) Alexander Povetkin KO 5 Dillian Whyte and Gervonta Davis KO 6 Leo Santa Cruz
• 2019: Nonito Donaire KO 6 Stephon Young
• 2018: Naoya Inoue KO 1 Juan Carlos Payano
• 2017: Zolani Tete KO 1 Siboniso Gonya
• 2016: Hassan N'Dam KO 1 Alfonso Blanco
• 2015: Yenifel Vincente KO 3 Juan Dominguez
• 2014: Andy Lee KO 5 John Jackson
• 2013: Stephen Smith KO 5 Gary Buckland
• 2012: Juan Manuel Marquez KO 6 Manny Pacquiao
• 2011: Takashi Uchiyama TKO 11 Jorge Solis 

Round of the Year: Joseph Parker-Fabio Wardley Round 10

Through nine rounds the Parker-Wardley heavyweight fight provided thrilling action with both fighters buzzed or shaken up in the early rounds. Parker had advantages with punch variety and combinations while Wardley had success with single straight rights, uppercuts and at points with his jab. By the end of the ninth, Parker was in the lead and was starting to assert himself on a more consistent basis. Although he couldn't get Wardley to the canvas, he was landing hard shots and banking rounds. 

Wardley (left) and Parker in a thrilling round
Photo courtesy of Leigh Dawney/Queensberry Promotions

With 2:08 left in the 10th round, Parker landed a scorching lead right. Though Wardley had kept a poker face earlier in the fight after being hit with big shots, he couldn't maintain his stoic demeaner here. He immediately took a step back after the shot and then he clinched. He was hurt. For the next 20 seconds Wardley didn't throw a punch as Parker continued to land power punches. 

At 48 seconds left in the round, Parker connected with a blistering counter right hand that stood Wardley up and then followed it up with another stinging right. He then went to more straight rights, right hooks from close range, and right haymakers. He was emptying the kitchen sink. 

At the 29-second mark, Wardley, landed a jab and then connected with a low right hand as Parker tried to slip underneath. Parker had been ducking punches low and to his left all fight and Wardley exploited this pattern; Parker wound up ducking right into the shot. Immediately after the punch landed, Parker retreated to the ropes. 

Wardley then let his hands go and landed a crushing right uppercut with Parker near the ropes. The shot drove Parker from one set of ropes to another. His legs now looked like jelly. Wardley ended the round battering Parker along the ropes, a huge reversal of fortune in a round with bombs flying from both. 

Wardley went on to stop Parker in the 11th as Parker was never able to regain his legs. Wardley teed off on Parker who was stuck along the ropes. Referee Howard Foster stopped the fight when Parker wasn't throwing enough back. Finally, it should also be noted that Parker failed a post-fight drug test for cocaine. Although that does sully what came before to a degree, this was still the round of boxing in 2025 I enjoyed the most. 

Previous SNB Rounds of the Year:  

• 2024: Tyson Koki-Deok No Yun I Round 1
• 2023: O'Shaquie Foster-Eduardo Hernandez Round 11
• 2022: Mauricio Lara-Emilio Sanchez Round 3
• 2021: Kenshiro Teraji-Masamichi Yabuki Round 9
• 2020: Jose Zepeda-Ivan Baranchyk Round 5
• 2019: Anthony Joshua-Andy Ruiz Round 3
• 2018: Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury Round 12
• 2017: Anthony Joshua-Wladimir Klitschko Round 5
• 2016: Edwin Rodriguez-Thomas Williams Jr. Round 2
• 2015: Edwin Rodriguez-Michael Seals Round 1
• 2014: Thomas Williams Jr.-Cornelius White Round 1
• 2013: Tim Bradley-Ruslan Provodnikov Round 12
• 2012: Sergio Martinez-Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Round 12
• 2011: Hernan Marquez-Luis Concepcion I Round 1 

Upset of the Year: Lewis Crocker SD Paddy Donovan 

When these two first fought in March, Donovan consistently got the better of the action with flashier hand speed, straighter punches, and combinations. But referee Marcus McDonnell had it in for Donovan; he had taken two points from him in a fight where both guys were fouling a lot. Donovan knocked Crocker down in the eighth and it looked like that would be the end, but Donovan did hit Crocker when he was on the canvas. McDonnell took that opportunity to disqualify Donovan, turning a sure win into a devastating loss.

When the rematch was announced, perhaps only Crocker's most fervent believers thought that he stood a good chance of winning. Prior to the stoppage in the first fight, he was down by six points, six points, and two points on the three cards. There appeared to be a clear talent gap. 

However, trainer Billy Nelson and Crocker came up with a brilliant game plan for the rematch. Instead of being the aggressor and providing Donovan with countering opportunities, Crocker instead played the counterpuncher himself and forced Donovan to commit with lead shots. The strategy worked to perfection as Crocker was able to time Donovan with counter left hooks in the third and fifth rounds to score knockdowns. Nelson and Crocker were able to key in on a flaw of Donovan's: so many of his jabs were non-committal. They were set-up punches thrown without conviction. 

But in truth, very little happened during many rounds of the fight, with both boxers ultimately being gun shy to commit to leading. Despite two knockdowns, Crocker didn't have many rounds where he was the clear victor. In a battle of low output, the rounds were very tough to score. 

When the fight ended, many scoring in the arena or at home thought that Donovan had won enough rounds to overcome the two knockdowns. But the judges didn't. Crocker, fighting at home in Belfast, won by 114-112, 114-113 and 111-115. No judge thought that he had won seven rounds in the fight, but it was still enough. And in fight that had so little action, it was tough for me to consider the outcome a robbery. If Donovan felt hard done by the decision, he could have been a lot busier and more decisive with his output. 

Crocker winning the rematch was a scenario that I didn't see coming whatsoever. But with a solid game plan, moments of sublime execution, and an indecisive opponent, Crocker did enough to pull off the monumental upset. 

Previous SNB Upsets of the Year:  

• 2024: Bruno Surace KO 6 Jaime Munguia
• 2023: Brian Mendoza KO 7 Sebastian Fundora
• 2022: Hector Luis Garcia UD Chris Colbert
• 2021: George Kambosos SD Teofimo Lopez
• 2020: Robert Helenius TKO 4 Adam Kownacki
• 2019: Andy Ruiz TKO 7 Anthony Joshua
• 2018: Rob Brant UD Ryota Murata
• 2017: Caleb Truax MD James DeGale
• 2016: Joe Smith Jr. KO 1 Andrzej Fonfara
• 2015: Tyson Fury UD Wladimir Klitschko
• 2014: (tie) James de la Rosa UD Alfredo Angulo and Tommy Karpency SD Chad Dawson
• 2013: Jhonny Gonzalez KO 1 Abner Mares
• 2012: Sonny Boy Jaro TKO 6 Pongsaklek Wongjongkam 

Trainer of the Year: Shingo Inoue

Although boxing fans are more familiar with Shingo's other son, Naoya, Shingo did his best work of the year with Takuma. Attempting to become a two-time bantamweight world titlist, Takuma was facing the wildly popular Tenshin Nasukawa. 

On the surface, Nasukawa had significant advantages in power, size, and athleticism and entered the fight as the betting favorite. But Inoue had more experience, better boxing fundamentals, and quicker punches. Nasukawa started off the fight well and seemed to be the superior talent. However, Takuma and Shingo were able to turn the tide. Their adjustments centered on shorter punches and keeping things up the middle as they observed that Nasukawa lacked a solid defensive construct. Takuma would win the fight by a unanimous decision, eventually dominating a fight that had started off badly for him. 

As for Naoya, he fought four times this year and scored two knockouts. Most memorably he was dropped by the unheralded Ramon Cardenas in May. Although Inoue was able to stop Cardenas, it was clear that he and Shingo had a discussion about how they should be fighting moving forward. Naoya subsequently beat Murodjon Akhmadaliev and Alan Picasso via dominant displays of boxing. Instead of the swashbuckling Naoya, he was now more disciplined, letting his considerable natural boxing skills take over. 

Naoya Inoue after being dropped by Cardenas
Photo courtesy of Mikey Williams/Top Rank

This was a drastic departure for Naoya and I'm sure that Shingo emphasized the need to tighten up the defense and not force the action. Shingo deserves a lot of credit for helping to correct mistakes and seeing a new way forward. Shingo had an exemplary year, showcasing why he's the father of champions.  

Previous SNB Trainers of the Year: 

• 2024: Robert Garcia
• 2023: Brian McIntyre et al.
• 2022: Derrick James
• 2021: Eddy Reynoso
• 2020: Teofimo Lopez Sr.
• 2019: Eddy Reynoso
• 2018: Anatoly Lomachenko
• 2017: Derrick James
• 2016: Shane McGuigan
• 2015: Peter Fury
• 2014: Freddie Roach
• 2013: Kenny Porter
• 2012: Robert McCracken
• 2011: Robert Garcia 

Promoter of the Year: Turki Alalshikh 

Alalshikh expanded his influence in the sport in 2025. In addition to Riyadh Season, Alalshikh created the Ring Magazine fight card brand, which featured high-profile fights in various jurisdictions around the world. He promoted the biggest boxing event of the year with Canelo-Crawford and made a strategic investment in Zuffa Boxing. He was behind many of the best or most important fights of the year, including Beterbiev-Bivol 2, Usyk-Dubois 2, Norman-Haney, Mason-Noakes, Stevenson-Zepeda, Nakatani-Hernandez, and more.

In addition to events where Alalshikh was expressly mentioned as the promoter, he also bankrolled several other notable fights that were nominally promoted by others. His influence continues to grow in the sport. 

Previous SNB Promoters of the Year: 

• 2024: Riyadh Season
• 2023: TGB Promotions in conjunction with PBC
• 2022: No Award Given
• 2021: Premier Boxing Champions
• 2020: Top Rank
• 2019: Matchroom Boxing
• 2018: Premier Boxing Champions
• 2017: K2 Promotions
• 2016: Matchroom Boxing
• 2015: Golden Boy Promotions
• 2014: Matchroom Boxing
• 2013: (tie) Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank
• 2012: Golden Boy Promotions
• 2011: Top Rank 

Network of the Year: DAZN 

DAZN now has many of the biggest promoters on its network. Featuring a stable that includes Matchroom, Golden Boy, Queensberry, Riyadh Season and the Ring Magazine cards, the service has become a must-have for boxing fans. In addition, DAZN has wisely invested in several other promoters, including MVP, Salita, Red Owl, Overtime and more, providing exposure for emerging talent in the sport, both from a promotional and fighter perspective. 

Not everything is going swimmingly for the network though. They introduced a new pricing structure of over $400 per year that includes their pay per view product. Although one can squint hard and see value in the offering, that's a lot of bread compared to other sporting and entertainment options. They are going to need to work hard to make that new pricing tier viable. In a perfect world they would make some broadcast changes too. 

But as boxing goes, DAZN has become a centralized hub for the sport. And that is the most important thing. They went from being a well-funded upstart to the home of boxing's big events in quick fashion. That's a job well done. 

Previous SNB Networks of the Year:  

• 2024: DAZN
• 2023: Showtime
• 2022: ESPN
• 2021: Showtime
• 2020: ESPN
• 2019: DAZN
• 2018: Showtime
• 2017: Showtime
• 2016: Sky Sports
• 2015: No award given
• 2014: ESPN
• 2013: Showtime
• 2012: BoxNation 

Referee of the Year: Katsuhiro Nakamura

Quick stoppages happen often. A referee will stop a fight even when a hurt fighter appears to be able to continue or is defending himself/herself properly. Unfortunately, it's a common occurrence in the sport. 

But let's congratulate a referee who at first glance appeared to stop a fight too early but ultimately proved to be 100% right in his decision making. Nakamura is one of the busiest referees in Japan and is also an official who gets international assignments. With the ending of Kenshiro Teraji-Seigo Yuri Akui, you can see why he is highly regarded. 

In a terrific, grueling and fast-paced fight between two flyweight champs, Teraji hurt Akui at the beginning of the 12th. Now keep in mind, neither fighter had been down previously in the fight and Akui was very competitive throughout the matchup. It was not a fight where Teraji was gradually getting the better of the action and/or pulling away. In fact, it was Teraji who needed to do something dramatic in the 12th. 

After hurting Akui early in the round with a lead right hand, Teraji followed up with menacing body shots as Akui was stuck on the ropes. Akui was able to escape but didn't look great on his feet. However, he was still throwing punches and evading shots. Moments later in the round, Teraji connected with a right hand during an exchange. The punch didn't even appear to be a particularly huge shot, but Nakamura abruptly ended the fight.

In real time it looked like a quick stoppage, but as soon as it was called off, it was clear that Akui was in bad shape. He needed assistance in getting back to his corner and then collapsed. There was no protesting the stoppage, just immediate attention given to the hurt fighter.  

Nakamura clearly observed that something was off with Akui, even if the fans couldn't necessarily see the same thing from the camera angle on the broadcast. Whether it was a facial expression, a problem with his legs, or something else, whatever it was, Nakamura was right on it. It turned out to be the perfect call. Yes, Akui was moments away from possibly winning the biggest fight of his career, but Nakamura made the correct call to project the fighter who needed protecting. It was a gutsy decision and a fine example of refereeing at its best.  

Previous SNB Referees of the Year:

• 2024: Thomas Taylor
• 2023: No award given
• 2022: David Fields
• 2021: Mark Lyson
• 2020: Michiaki Someya
• 2019: No award given
• 2018: Jack Reiss
• 2017: David Fields
• 2016: Raul Caiz Sr.
• 2015: David Fields
• 2014: Steve Smoger
• 2013: Tony Weeks
• 2012: Eddie Claudio

Adam Abramowitz is the founder and head writer of saturdaynightboxing.com. 

He's a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Panel, the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Email: saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

snboxing on twitter. SN Boxing on Facebook 

Opinions and Observations: Parker-Wardley

Throughout Saturday's heavyweight slugfest between Jospeh Parker and Fabio Wardley, I made mental notes on Parker's impressive moments. There's a hook off a jab. Here's five left hooks in a row. There's a right hand/left hook combination that landed on the button. How about that jab! That counter right hand was terrific. Parker did so many things wonderfully in the fight, yet in the 11th round, he was the one trapped along the ropes, hurt, with the bout being waved off. 

So, what happened? 

To be fair to Wardley, he had some impressive sequences of his own early in the fight, especially in rounds two through four. But I believe that it was the 10th round that showcased his unique attributes in the heavyweight division. In the first half of the round, Parker had his most dominating sequences of the fight. He was cracking Wardley with counter right hands and left hooks. On multiple occasions, it looked like he stood Wardley up with power shots. There, Wardley looked momentarily dazed, staring blankly into the middle distance, his feet not positioned to throw. 

Wardley (left) with Parker trapped along the ropes
Photo courtesy of Leigh Dawney/Queensberry Promotions

I'm sure most fighters would assume after administering that kind of beating, that they would be in the driver's seat, that the opponent was on his way to being stopped. But it quickly became apparent that Wardley was far different from a typical opponent. 

Somehow after being battered throughout the round, Wardley was able to shake it off and march forward. He unleashed menacing power shots as if the previous punishment hadn't occurred. After a few short moments, now it was Parker hurt and diminished, stuck along the ropes. In one of the most thrilling rounds of the year, Wardley showed that he possesses almost superhuman recuperative powers.

The 11th round was a continuation of the end of the 10th, with Wardley unloading on a trapped Parker. Eventually, referee Howard Foster stepped in to stop the fight (more on this later). 

Fabio Wardley has a singular story in boxing. A product of the white-collar boxing scene in the U.K., Wardley had no real amateur background and came to the sport late. During his development fights, he was a wild swinger who did all sorts of technical things wrong in the ring. His defense could be subpar. His footwork was ponderous. He would lean over his body while throwing shots, but the results were almost always the same: Wardley by knockout. 

But Wardley has improved under trainer Ben Davison's tutelage. Although I didn't have him winning Saturday's fight after the tenth round, I certainly thought that he was competitive. And this was against Parker, one of the best technical fighters at heavyweight, and an opponent with a significant punch. 

On Saturday, Wardley was able to land with snapping right hands. He connected with a couple of cracking, short right uppercuts and he had periods where his jab scored with regularity. He wasn't a gimmick fighter; he was performing like the solid heavyweight that he has become, with multiple knockout weapons and an irrepressible will. Despite his late start in the sport, he now has beaten multiple contenders and remains undefeated with a record of 20-0-1 with 19 knockouts. 

Wardley's last two fights have ended in second-half stoppages. He was down on the cards in both fights, but he was undeterred. And just as importantly, he has the conditioning to undertake physically grueling fights and still wind up on top. 

Perhaps this might not be the greatest recipe for a long career, but so what? Wardley wasn't expected to progress to this point. This is what he has to work with. And there's no blueprint of what a top heavyweight must look like or do in the ring, except win.

Who knows how long this ride will continue? He's won fights when well behind; he's prevailed as an underdog; and he's beaten fighters with far more pedigree. He continues to get stoppages even as he moves up the heavyweight ladder. He possesses a rare ability to carry late power. And this isn't like he's trailing in cagey fights where not much has happened. No, he's taking beatings, but he refuses to yield. And he will keep throwing his thunder. It's thrilling to watch. 

Wardley after the victory
Photo courtesy of Leigh Dawney/Queensberry 

If I can level one criticism of Parker, it's that too often he gets into shootouts. Let's go back to the tenth. He had already dominated Wardley throughout the first half of the round. Once Parker got tagged with a big shot from Wardley, he could have immediately tied up. Even with that one shot, Parker would still be well ahead in the round. 

But that's not what Parker did. Despite getting hit a lot at the end of the round, he still wanted to trade. He was trying to find that one big shot to hurt Wardley, to reverse the tide. He wound up giving back his edge in the round, and in the fight, even when he didn't have to. One could praise Parker for his self-belief, but maybe his performance illustrates his issues with over-confidence and not respecting his opponent enough. Parker had similar problems in his loss to Joe Joyce. He also could have boxed much more than he did in his grueling fights with Dereck Chisora. 

Parker usually likes to stay around the pocket, which he believes helps him because of his advantages with accuracy and his large punch arsenal. But the problem with fighters who linger a little too much is that they are hittable. 

I'm not suggesting that Parker stink out fights to win, but he needs to understand fight dynamics better. For example, Usyk is a master of knowing when he has a round won. And he will pocket that 10-9, wait out the round, and go after his opponent when the next one starts. Parker doesn't have the same impulses. He will be looking throughout all three minutes of a round to connect, even when he is well ahead. It's certainly not the best fight management strategy. 

***

After the fight I had this vision of Howard Foster standing at attention in the ring, saluting the Union Jack hanging from the rafters of the O2 Arena, a single tear sliding down his cheek. Yet again, he had performed for his country. He had done his part for The Crown. 

As far as Howard Foster stoppages go, Saturday's wasn't his worst (take a look at his performance in the Dubois-Lerena fight), but it was still bad, and as too often the case, his decision making helped the hometown English fighter at the expense of the foreign opponent. 

Although Wardley was unloading in the 11th round and Parker was hurt, there was no singular shot that necessitated Foster to stop the fight. Parker still had his wits in the ring. He was blocking or ducking a lot of the punches; he looked lucid. Foster's stoppage made perfect sense if a referee was looking for an opportunity to end the fight. But if an arbiter was more interested in seeing a fight play out to its natural conclusion, then that moment was not the place for a referee to insert himself. 

Of the referees who get high-profile assignments in the sport, Foster may be the worst homer. It's baffling as to why he is allowed to persist. Or maybe it's not. 

And this isn't an exercise in second-guessing. As soon as I saw Foster announced prior to the start of the fight, I made a note how this could help Wardley. And again, this was before a punch was ever thrown. 

I shouldn't have to know this about a referee. Officials like Foster hurt the legitimacy of the sport. Boxing deserves better. And as great a fight as Saturday's was, it was perhaps 90% of what it could have been. Howard Foster needed to end that fight when he did. He didn't have to. But, I guess...duty called. 

***

Let's not end this on a sour note. We all enjoyed a great fight on Saturday. Parker and Wardley continued the tremendous run of excitement in this heavyweight era. There's probably been over 20 heavyweight fights over the last decade that have been truly special affairs. Parker has already been in several, against Chisora, Whyte and Joyce. Wardley had that memorable first battle with Frazer Clarke. 

It's been a terrific era for heavyweight boxing. We've seen the cream rise to the top (Usyk) against champs and tough challengers. We've marveled at the journeys of relatively unknowns or supposed lessers, like Kabayel and Wardley, who have become true threats to the throne. Along the way, we've seen memorable upsets, great individual runs, and so many thrilling nights in the ring. Yes, there will always be the scolds who will tell you how things were so much better during yesteryear, but missing out on today's heavyweight boxing has been their loss. This current era has delivered time after time. It's been wonderful.  

Adam Abramowitz is the founder and head writer of saturdaynightboxing.com. 

He's a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Panel, the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Email: saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

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Opinions and Observations: Wardley-Clarke

It's unusual to see two prospects announce themselves as legit contenders in the same fight. However, Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke went to war, and during their fierce battle they exhibited a multitude of skills and winning intangibles, demonstrating that they are now factors in the upper reaches of the heavyweight division. The fight was declared a draw, but that won't be enough to thwart their momentum in the sport: both have the goods. 

Officially, the fight was ruled a split draw, with the judges unable to agree on a winner (one picked Clarke, one picked Wardley, one had it even). To my eyes, the verdict was just. The fight featured massive shifts in momentum and several close rounds; it was tough to split them. Wardley did score a knockdown in the fifth and Clarke had a point deducted for low blows in the seventh (a bit harsh in my opinion), but despite that gap, Clarke won his fair share of rounds with cleaner boxing and some wicked power shots.

Clarke (left) and Wardley going to war
Photo courtesy of Boxxer

And whether they decide to rematch each other or go separate directions, both provided boxing fans with a thrilling night of action and also laid down a marker to the rest of the division: they are going to be tough fighters to beat. Perhaps what was even more impressive was that both showed additional dimensions in the ring from their previous fights, suggesting potential for even further improvement. 

Clarke is already 32. He turned professional late, remaining an amateur through the 2020 Olympics (which were actually held in 2021). In his early professional fights, he had failed to galvanize the boxing public. While always demonstrating a big punch, his performances were often labored, featuring anemic punch volume and a suspect engine. You could often hear whistles in the crowd during the myriad slow moments in his fights, yet that didn't seem to bother him.  

Wardley had no amateur boxing background to speak of. He was kind of a novelty guy when he turned pro, a white-collar boxer who had real power. Although Wardley had pop and athleticism, he had to overcome his lack of boxing fundamentals. He would often swing from his shoes, throw the wrong punches at the wrong time, and had very little idea about responsible defense. His punching power always elicited respect, but many were waiting for him to be found out by better talents. How can a guy who does so many things "wrong" expect to be a legit contender in the sport?  

Yet Clarke and Wardley put to bed many of those blemishes on Sunday. Clarke was dropped in the fifth round and ate tremendous numbers of big shots, yet he was the fresher fighter in the final round, giving it all for a potential knockout. In the concluding moments, he actually had the better engine.

And Wardley, at age 29, demonstrated a number of flourishes that shows he's been a quick study in the gym. His best punch of the fight was a counter right hand over Clarke's jab, not a novice's punch! He also went to Clarke's body with left hooks like a seasoned pro. And when he did get tagged in the fight, he didn't crumble. He tied up or used the ring to buy time. He has learned what a real fighter does under duress. 

The action in the fight was sensational. The tenth was a Round of the Year contender with both fighters hurt during the frame but determined to keep firing. The second, seventh (which was marred by the unnecessary point deduction) and eighth rounds also featured thrilling action. Frazer held his own with jabs, right uppercuts and sneaky right hands around the guard. Wardley did a little of everything: sharp counters, multi-punch combinations, double jabs, and power shots to the body. 

The championship rounds were also a special attribute of the fight. Although Wardley had never been past seven and Clarke had only been ten rounds once in a noncompetitive win, neither had experienced rounds 11 or 12 before, yet they both showed their fighting spirit as the bout drew to a close. Wardley had little left to give in the final rounds, but there he was winging his best arm punches in the 11th round, trying everything he could to find a final blow to end the fight. And even though Clarke seemed happy to remain upright by the end of the 11th, he was the spritely one in the final round, marching forward, trying to land a closing bomb to stop the fight from going to the judges. It was as if he was fighting more than Wardley; he wanted to silence each and every one of his critics about his lack of endurance or desire.

Wardley-Clarke was one of the finest non-title heavyweight fights since 1997's battle between David Tua and Ike Ibeabuchi (and here I mean world title). Neither Tua nor Ibeabuchi won a world title, yet for those who have seen the fight, they speak about it with reverence, even decades later. Wardley-Clarke featured the same spirit. Two big heavyweights throwing bombs, taking them, recovering, refusing to yield, fighting for their careers, and thrilling all who were watching.  

Wardley and Clarke possess the offensive firepower and internal fortitude to challenge top heavyweight contenders. Are they perfect fighters? Of course not. But they carry a big punch, won't shrink from a challenge and have subtle dimensions that make them more difficult to beat than would appear at first glance. They are real fighters. 

Credit to Ben Shalom and the Boxxer team for putting the bout together and credit both fighters for accepting the challenge. They put on an unforgettable night of boxing and there are plenty of titleholders and illustrious names in the sport who couldn't say the same.   

Adam Abramowitz is the founder and head writer of saturdaynightboxing.com. 

He's a contributing writer for Ring Magazine, a member of Ring Magazine's Ring Ratings Panel and a Board Member for the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board. 

Email: saturdaynightboxing@hotmail.com

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