Daniel Dubois vs. Fabio Wardley II | DAZN - 17 October 2026

[Grilling Machine]

Best plan is probably pace and look for a big shot now and then, but if you get it, fvck pacing, jump all over him.

And then kick himself if that happens and leads to a repeat. I think he'll come out nice and steady, but I don't trust him to not go ham if he lands a humdinger. Jury's out on the wisdom, obviously.

What's weird to me about this fight is that Dubois is technically superior, clear as day, and yet Wardley on points isn't beyond the realms cos he's so tough. Based on the Joyce and Usyk fights, if Wardley can win 2 rounds in the first half with fuel entering the second...

Unless the damage he's taken has suddenly caught up with him. You can sense it on the horizon at this point; hear and see bits of it in his pos-Dub interviews. Healthwise he'd likely have been better off taking a gimme to extend his trauma recovery, but the man's a warrior.

[bmw hector]

For me, the only way Wardley wins this is by catching Dubois early and then jumping all over him.
It just became too much of a painful repeat beating, round after round, with Wardley's lack of fundamentals exposed. It might finish a bit earlier this time if Dubois can avoid any early mishaps and find his range. Huni took Wardley to school but lacked the dig that Dubois has to slow down and damage Wardley, I just see a repeat one-sided beatdown. Would love to be proven wrong though!

[Frostieballs]

I was strong on DDD for this when the rematch was first announced, but for some reason I’ve flipped in the last week.

Wardley in the second half of the fight, to set up the trilogy.

[KiwiRider]

I think just Wardley coming out swinging like he did in Clarke #2.
Demolition job. No finesse, just raw ambition. He's done it before.
Power!

[Taansend]

I still can't believe my Missus has scheduled our wedding at 2pm, when the fight starts here.

I will have a TV set up for my mates to watch while I prance about in a Thai wedding outfit.

I'm hoping Wardley wins but I think it's going to be the bloke from my hood again. We're just a different breed in SE London, innit

[golden_labrador]

I still can't believe my Missus has scheduled our wedding at 2pm, when the fight starts here.

I will have a TV set up for my mates to watch while I prance about in a Thai wedding outfit.

I'm hoping Wardley wins but I think it's going to be the bloke from my hood again. We're just a different breed in SE London, innit

well congratulations anyway

[keithmoonhangover]

It's on PPV and I'm not paying when I already have a subscription so I'll miss it.

In a way I'm pleased. There shouldn’t be another fight between these two after what happened last time.

It crossed the line for me. It takes a lot but that was too far.

I feel similar. I was really looking forward to the first fight expecting a dramatic shoot out. But it turned out to be uncomfortable viewing. Careful what you wish for I suppose.

I agree with you both, it was a very difficult watch. I'll still watch it as I'm an Ultimate subscriber.

[gilgamesh]

It's on PPV and I'm not paying when I already have a subscription so I'll miss it.

In a way I'm pleased. There shouldn’t be another fight between these two after what happened last time.

It crossed the line for me. It takes a lot but that was too far.

I feel similar. I was really looking forward to the first fight expecting a dramatic shoot out. But it turned out to be uncomfortable viewing. Careful what you wish for I suppose.

I agree with you both, it was a very difficult watch. I'll still watch it as I'm an Ultimate subscriber.

I've been watching too much Boxing from the 60's, 70's and 80's to say that any brutal fight from Today is "too far" in terms of violence, but it was quite the shellacking certainly.

Fight would've almost certainly been stopped sooner if not for Wardley having won 2 fights in a row in come from behind fashion prior to that one. If it looks like it's going similarly this time I suspect they won't allow Wardley to take nearly as much punishment before saving him.

I'm a big fan of Wardley so I certainly don't want the man to take another beating, but I also ain't gonna give up on him as if he has no chance whatsoever in this rematch. He knocked Dubois down twice, so he can hurt him. It's not out of the question he can pull this off, but he's got his work cut out for him for sure.

[willardx]

What do people think about the cut on the bridge of Wardleys nose. Looks like it's not healed. A few stiff jabs and that opens and makes a big mess.

[Ruthless-RKO]

What do people think about the cut on the bridge of Wardleys nose. Looks like it's not healed. A few stiff jabs and that opens and makes a big mess.

It’s always a talking point amongst fans before any of his recent fights.

Dubois has a very nice jab.

[keithmoonhangover]

One way or another, this ain't going the distance and it won't last as long as last time.

[Ruthless-RKO]

‘I want to set it right’: Fabio Wardley looks forward to avenging loss to Daniel Dubois in weekend rematch

Fabio Wardley looks to apply lessons learned to beat Daniel Dubois on Saturday.

Fabio Wardley talks to Ring Magazine about his upcoming rematch with Daniel Dubois coming off the heels of a brutal fight they had back in May. Wardley claims to have studied and seen where his mistakes were made, and is confident he’ll be able to turn things around to be the one coming out on top in this scheduled sequel set for this weekend. Here’s some of what he had to say below.

Wardley on rematching Dubois so soon after their first war
“It was me that triggered the rematch clause and it was me that basically said to Frank and the team ‘I want this as soon as possible’…I reviewed it, I know what went wrong, and I want to set it right.

“There was a small conversation with myself of ‘am I doing this out of aggravation, annoyance, emotion-based because I just lost and I’m angry and I want it back’ or do I genuinely feel like the mistakes I made are easily rectified and I can come back around and get the win. And the conclusion was actually, yeah, after reviewing the fight and looking at it I made some silly mistakes.

“I did some small things but consistently wrong and there mistakes I made, I feel like the fight was in my hands an I lost it, not necessarily that Daniel won it.”

On Dubois saying he punches like a baby
“I think he needs to pay attention to what he says because he did an interview the other day where he says I was the hardest puncher he’s ever been in the ring with. So I think he just needs to remember when he answers these questions there is a camera in his face and the research can be done.

“But, again, it’s fight week and with Daniel you get a different personality, a different persona comes out…We all know and saw what happened, and again, like I said, I didn’t even fully connect and he hit the ground twice so it’s a lot of waffle.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Fabio Wardley feels ‘weightless and free’ ahead of Daniel Dubois rematch

Fabio Wardley has it all to do when he faces Daniel Dubois in a rematch this Saturday at London’s O2 Arena.

Back in May, the pair treated viewers to one of the best heavyweight humdingers in recent history, knocking lumps out of each other for 11 bloody rounds. Despite Ipswich, England’s Wardley having Dubois down twice early, it was he who was on the blunt end of most of the punishment. London’s Dubois rallied back from hitting the canvas in the first and third sessions to beat Wardley from pillar to post until the referee Howard Foster finally saved the freakishly tough Wardley for another day.

Wardley handed over his WBO heavyweight title following the defeat, and there were questions if the 20-1-1 (19 KOs) would fancy a rematch – that he was contractually obliged to – due to the brutal nature of the contest.

Wardley put an end to those questions a mere days following the first loss of his career when he activated the rematch clause, and he will now enter this Saturday’s rematch as the challenger – something he is relishing.

“Honestly, it's great. Actually I really love it. It feels more natural, feels more weightless,” Wardley told members of the media. “Don't get me wrong, it's all fantastic being a world champion and holding that and I don't think it's necessarily just the fact that I was world champion, but having an undefeated record as well and going in with such a good fighter like Daniel holds a level of weight. And now I just feel free.

“The kind of talk around the fight has changed. I'm back to being expected to lose and things going worse for me and I'm the challenger and I'm the chaser, and honestly for me it all just feels like 'Ah, this is it, this is the nice bit that I enjoyed for the past however many years on my rise and on my way up. It feels great.’”

Wardley has been proving fans, journalists, and so-called boxing experts wrong since his transition from white-collar boxing to the professional ranks. After defying the odds in a run that saw him defeat Frazer Clarke, Justis Huni and Joseph Parker, many believed Wardley would handle Dubois.

However, when Wardley steps into the ring with Dubois for a second time this weekend, there are few that are picking him to turn things around.

So, does that play to his advantage?

“A relaxed fighter is comfortable and confident and I think that's always beneficial, so the short answer would be yes,” said Wardley.

“I've been proving them wrong for I don't know how many years now. It was funny because the pendulum swung and then everyone said ‘Oh, this is the one you're gonna win, actually. We think you're gonna get this one.’ And then I end up losing.

“Seemingly for me it's better when I'm told I'm going to be the underdog, when I'm told I'm gonna be losing, or when I'm told this is the level too far. It's just a lot of outside noise. It has no real bearing on me, the team, how I train, or anything at all like that.”

[tonyevs]

Everything points to Dubois stopping Wardley again: Dubois better predigree/experience, Wardleys previous injuries opening back up, and Dubois being full of confidence against Wardley - and each of those reasons is valid.
But, I just get a feeling that Wardleys intelligence and Dubois lack of will be a factor. We know Dubois has that `quit` in him which will be used again once he loses confidence - I just get the feeling Wardley will have a better game plan to use this and to get the win.

[Kilburn]

Unless you’re able to inflict a broken eye socket and nerve damage on Dubois, I think you’re going to have a hard job making him quit if your name isn’t Usyk.

Despite vulnerabilities, Dubois tends to be pretty reliable versus opponents he can land punches on.

[mooman]

Unless you’re able to inflict a broken eye socket and nerve damage on Dubois, I think you’re going to have a hard job making him quit if your name isn’t Usyk.

Despite vulnerabilities, Dubois tends to be pretty reliable versus opponents he can land punches on.

Joe Joyce ..

[Kilburn]

Unless you’re able to inflict a broken eye socket and nerve damage on Dubois, I think you’re going to have a hard job making him quit if your name isn’t Usyk.

Despite vulnerabilities, Dubois tends to be pretty reliable versus opponents he can land punches on.

Joe Joyce ..

Damn, you done me up like a kipper there.

[KiwiRider]

If you have to pick from Dubois or Wardley, as to which guy can adjust their fight plan in a rematch, surely it has to be Wardley?
Dubois in the second Usyk fight was the same, maybe worse, while Wardley in the second Clarke fight was an absolute beast.

[mooman]

Unless you’re able to inflict a broken eye socket and nerve damage on Dubois, I think you’re going to have a hard job making him quit if your name isn’t Usyk.

Despite vulnerabilities, Dubois tends to be pretty reliable versus opponents he can land punches on.

Joe Joyce ..

Damn, you done me up like a kipper there.

You did make it easy to be fair.

Of course Dubois 'officially' quit because of an alleged broken eye socket. When the quitter noise got too much his promoter got a note off a surgeon stating how great it was Dubois quit and how it saved him from a career ending injury etc .. of course, it's pretty easy to pay a surgeon to write anything you want really ..

[Grilling Machine]

But, I just get a feeling that Wardleys intelligence and Dubois lack of will be a factor.

That's the main reason for the question mark, innit. If Fab were a thicko we'd be calling this a repeat all day, but he has the smarts to change it up.

He threw so many wild righthands from downtown, so that's an easy fix. I just wonder if he'll be a bit more vulnerable this time. Won't matter if goes Wardley-Clarke 2, where he went to the body nicely to help set up the finish. Dubois has a great sense of distance against slow-footed opponents, so his timing'd need to be sharp.

[Kilburn]

If you have to pick from Dubois or Wardley, as to which guy can adjust their fight plan in a rematch, surely it has to be Wardley?
Dubois in the second Usyk fight was the same, maybe worse, while Wardley in the second Clarke fight was an absolute beast.

That’s perhaps true, although such is the difference in level between Clarke and Usyk, one guy will allow you an opportunity to get that kind of win, the other will allow you next to zero opportunity.

[Grilling Machine]

I'll be surprised if this ain't a better fight than AJ-Fury.

[Coco]

You would put your mortgage on this being a good fight

[CaptainSpacerod]

Joe Joyce ..

Damn, you done me up like a kipper there.

You did make it easy to be fair.

Of course Dubois 'officially' quit because of an alleged broken eye socket. When the quitter noise got too much his promoter got a note off a surgeon stating how great it was Dubois quit and how it saved him from a career ending injury etc .. of course, it's pretty easy to pay a surgeon to write anything you want really ..

I disagree with that.

Why would an extremely well paid surgeon, who presumably is well respected within his field, risk his reputation and potentially his career by lying about an injury just to trouser a few quid ? It would make no sense.

[gilgamesh]

I'll be surprised if this ain't a better fight than AJ-Fury.

Even if its a 2nd round knockout it'll probably be that.