Fabio Wardley needs more time for a rematch with Daniel Dubois, says Olympic super-heavyweight gold medallist Audley Harrison.
Wardley dropped Dubois twice but lost his WBO world championship in the 11th round of their brutal heavyweight slugfest.
Badly hurt in the later stages of the fight, Wardley never went down. The referee eventually stopped him on his feet.
But Harrison is convinced that Wardley should have been pulled out earlier. "It was one round too much, in my opinion," he told Sky Sports News.
"I think the fighter had nothing left. Fighters want to go out on their shield.
"You've got to make the right decision for what was in front of you in terms of the situation."
Wardley does have a rematch clause in his contract. Harrison does expect him to trigger it and secure a second fight with Dubois, even though he believes Wardley needs more time for that rematch.
"In the boxing world when you have a rematch clause it's very hard not to take it, that's just typically what we see," Harrison said.
"I would like Team Wardley, including Ben Davison [his trainer], to look in the mirror and say we have to go back to the drawing board and fix some of the things we need to fix so that we can be successful in the fight.
"The guy came from white-collar boxing and he's been able to fast-track himself. It's amazing what they've done but now you've got to go in the gym and actually fix some of the things you need to fix so you can be more competitive in the rematch."
But Harrison noted: "That doesn't really happen in boxing. You have a rematch clause; if you don't take it now you're not going to get it in 12 months' time. You're kind of forced to do it.
"I think the rematch is going to happen because of the way boxing is, it's very hard to say no to that money, to just have that opportunity to get him back."
For Harrison, it was Dubois' base of boxing skills that ultimately made the difference between him and Wardley.
"Dubois started using boxing fundamentals on him from the fifth or sixth round and started beating him up," Harrison said.
"Technically I think Dubois done a great job and I think that's what separated him."
Allen: Wardley left in too long against Dubois
British heavyweight Dave Allen insists he puts health before wealth after watching Fabio Wardley taking a sustained beating from Daniel Dubois last weekend.
Wardley was dethroned as WBO heavyweight champion and left with a right eye horribly swollen shut and blood pouring from the bridge of his nose, with many observers feeling the 11th-round stoppage came too late.
Allen (25-8-2, 20KOs) will be hoping to upset the odds in his homecoming against Croatia's Filip Hrgovic at Doncaster's Eco-Power Stadium, but the Yorkshireman does not want to absorb any more punishment than he has to.
"When I was younger, I used to say to my corner 'if you pull me out of this ring, we'll be scrapping' and as I've got a bit older, I'm like 'if I'm knackered, get me out ASAP', Allen told PA.
"I've got a life to live. Bravery is good and you've got to be brave and tough in boxing but I am tough, I've proven it time and time again.
"When your chance of winning has gone, out you come, what's the point? There are no medals for bravery, you don't get paid any more money.
"If it comes down to health or being known as tough, in my youth I wanted to be known as tough, but I don't give a f*** these days. I'd rather be healthy than tough."
Allen is a massive underdog against Hrgovic, who is ranked in the top-10 heavyweights by the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO, in stark contrast to how many thought Wardley's first defence of his world title would play out.
Allen added: "It was an amazing fight through eight and then the last couple of rounds were a bit uncomfortable.
"I thought Wardley was left in there a little bit too long, probably too tough for his own good but I'm sure he'll be back."
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