Dubois Retains WBO Heavyweight Title With Second-Round Stoppage Of Wardley

Daniel Dubois kept his WBO heavyweight championship by stopping Fabio Wardley in the second round at the O2 Arena on Saturday night, producing a dominant performance in their rematch.

Dubois, 29, dropped Wardley with a straight right only 17 seconds into the opening round and kept up heavy pressure. Wardley made it to the end of the first, but another sustained attack in the second forced trainer Ben Davison to throw in the towel.

It was Dubois’s second consecutive stoppage win over Wardley, coming five months after he twice got up from knockdowns to win their first meeting in 11 rounds in Manchester.

This time Dubois was in control from the start. He extended his professional record to 24 wins, 23 by knockout, against three defeats. Wardley, 31, fell to 21-2 in a 23-fight career.

“Fabio is a great boy, coming in for the second time, but it was my time and my era. I had my intentions, bad intentions from the beginning,” Dubois said. “My back was against the wall the first time, this time we just had to go out there and show that we mean business, which is what we did tonight.”

Wardley said: “I have always thrown myself in with the best competitors out there, the best in the business, the biggest, hardest, meanest guys around so, there is no shame in a loss when you’re testing yourself against the best.”

A sell-out crowd of 19,000 attended, with Wardley receiving a loud welcome and Dubois booed as he walked to the ring. Actor Paddy Considine, comedian Rob Beckett, Oasis star Noel Gallagher and darts world champion Luke Littler were among those in attendance.

With 41 knockouts between the two fighters, few expected the judges to be needed. Wardley’s best hope was seen as another fast start after he dropped Dubois early in their first fight. Instead, Dubois backed him into a corner and landed the straight right that began the finish.

Chants for Wardley were quickly quieted as Dubois unloaded combinations. Another fierce attack late in the first round left Wardley in serious trouble. Davison, who had been criticised for not pulling Wardley out sooner in their first contest, stood with a towel ready as Wardley survived to the bell.

There had already been concerns that Wardley had returned too quickly after the punishment he took in May, when he was left bloodied and badly swollen. Those concerns looked justified as he struggled with Dubois’s pressure. Wardley’s hands were low, and his punches were wild and telegraphed.

In the second round, Wardley was backed into the corner again and subjected to another barrage before Davison threw in the towel.

Dubois continues to lead British heavyweight boxing. After losing to Oleksandr Usyk in 2023, he beat Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua before another defeat by Usyk last year. Back-to-back stoppage wins over Wardley have strengthened his position among the world’s leading active heavyweights.

IBF champion Hrgovic, whom Dubois stopped in June 2024, entered the ring afterward, and both men expressed interest in a rematch. Promoter Frank Warren wants Hrgovic to make his first title defence in Croatia before pursuing a unification fight.

Dubois’s biggest payday could come against the winner of Joshua and Tyson Fury’s December showdown, which is expected to have the WBA “super” title at stake.

Asked who he wants next, Dubois said: “Whoever is next in line, really. I’m the champion now, and I want to get some big fights in. At this stage in my career, big money, big fights.”

For Wardley, the defeat is a significant setback, but his rise remains notable. The former recruitment consultant had only four white-collar fights before turning professional in 2017 and less than a decade later had reached world heavyweight level.

Instead of rebuilding against lesser opposition after May’s punishing loss, Wardley gambled on an immediate rematch with one of the division’s hardest punchers. The gamble backfired, and after two bruising defeats he may benefit from time away.