Defiant Dubois sheds quitter tag to write new narrative

The 'Don't Blink' tagline was never meant to be taken quite so literally.

When Daniel Dubois crashed to the canvas within 10 seconds of the opening bell in Manchester - and again in the third round - suddenly every soul inside the Co-op Live Arena was paying very close attention.

For years, Dubois has carried the label of a fighter who folds when things become uncomfortable. Opponents and fans alike have questioned his heart, mentality, and toughness.

During fight week, Fabio Wardley even joked that if Dubois was not a boxer, he would be a "bin man".

By the end of Saturday night, though, Dubois had produced the most brutal clean-up operation of his career. He roared back to stop Wardley in the 11th round of a British heavyweight classic and become a two-time world champion.

Perhaps the most revealing moment came between the knockdowns.

After being dropped early, Dubois looked towards his corner and gave a little wink to show he was fine - he did not panic or unravel. Even the tactical knee he took later in the third felt calculated rather than desperate.

Much of the 18,000-strong crowd had come to see the Wardley fairytale continue, but Dubois blocked out the noise and stayed composed.

The win once again silenced critics who have spent years dissecting the character of Dubois as much as his boxing ability.

"No human being on this planet could ever question this kid - certainly don't do that in front of me," trainer Don Charles said afterwards.

"Tonight he erased any doubt of all the negative talk. I'm glad the fight went that way so he could demonstrate this quitting narrative is not right."

Ridiculed Dubois looks comfortable in his own skin

Heavyweights exist under a uniquely harsh spotlight and Dubois has absorbed more than his fair share of scrutiny. One defeat by Joe Joyce and two by Oleksandr Usyk shaped much of the public perception around him, as did persistent questions about his discipline.

Those doubts feel badly outdated now. At 28, Dubois is already a two-time heavyweight world champion - younger than both Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury were when they achieved the same feat.

Throughout fight week, the contrast between the two men was stark.

Wardley carried himself with the ease of a man born for the camera. Articulate, witty, and relaxed, the Ipswich man was seen strolling through Manchester city centre. Dubois, meanwhile, walked out of two interviews.

In one, he visibly bristled when the Joyce defeat was raised. In another, he appeared irritated by what he felt was mocking "quick-fire" questioning.

It raises a broader question about double standards; would Joshua or Fury be criticised quite so heavily if they chose not to engage with pre-fight promotional content?