Daniel Dubois Stops Fabio Wardley in Round Two to Retain WBO Heavyweight Belt
British heavyweight Daniel Dubois defended his WBO world title with a dominant second-round stoppage against Fabio Wardley in London.
At a glance
- Daniel Dubois defended his WBO heavyweight championship with a second-round stoppage against Fabio Wardley in London.
- Wardley was knocked down within 17 seconds of the fight and took sustained damage until his corner threw in the towel in round two.
- IBF champion Filip Hrgovic challenged Dubois from ringside for a potential two-belt unification fight in March.
Daniel Dubois retained his WBO heavyweight world title on Saturday night after securing a second-round stoppage victory over domestic rival Fabio Wardley at the O2 Arena in London.
The 29-year-old champion wasted little time establishing control, flooring Wardley with a sharp straight right hand just 17 seconds into the opening round. Although the 31-year-old challenger beat the referee's count and survived a heavy barrage against the ropes until the bell, he could not turn the tide in the second round. Dubois resumed his relentless attack, forcing Wardley's corner to throw in the towel before referee Steve Gray halted the contest.
The bout marked a decisive rematch following their initial encounter in Manchester in May. In that fight, Dubois recovered from two early knockdowns to defeat Wardley in the 11th round, inflicting the challenger's first professional loss. With Saturday's win, Dubois moved his professional record to 24 victories and three defeats, while Wardley fell to 20 wins and two losses.
Speaking after the victory, Dubois credited his aggressive strategy from the opening bell, stating that his team intended to make a clear statement after their competitive first meeting. Wardley acknowledged the gap on the night, observing that boxing operates on fine margins and that he aimed to rebuild just as Dubois had done earlier in his career.
Unification Challenge Awaits
Dubois previously held the IBF heavyweight title before losing it to Ukraine's Oleksandr Usyk in London in July of last year. Wardley had briefly claimed the WBO belt in November after Usyk vacated the title, prior to losing it to Dubois in May.
Attention quickly turned toward a potential title unification bout following Saturday's finish. Croatian fighter Filip Hrgovic, who holds the IBF title after defeating Britain's Moses Itauma in August, watched from ringside and proposed a March clash to unify both belts. Dubois previously defeated Hrgovic in June 2024 to claim an interim title and voiced his enthusiasm for a rematch, while promoter Frank Warren indicated other contenders may also be considered.
Source: Al Jazeera.
Questions and answers
- How did the rematch between Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley end?
- Daniel Dubois won via a second-round stoppage after Wardley suffered a first-round knockdown and took sustained punishment until his corner threw in the towel.
- What are the updated records for Dubois and Wardley?
- Following the bout, Daniel Dubois holds a professional record of 24 wins and three defeats, while Fabio Wardley has 20 wins and two defeats.
- Who challenged Daniel Dubois after the fight?
- IBF champion Filip Hrgovic challenged Dubois to a potential title unification bout proposed for March, though promoter Frank Warren noted other contenders might be considered first.
