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

[Heldenjaeger]

Launch press conference right now. Dubois just looks and sounds so.... unintelligent. Hard to watch.

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Launch press conference

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Wardley uses Clarke KO as proof he can adjust in Dubois rematch

Those concerned about his health want Fabio Wardley to take more time off between his two fights with Daniel Dubois.

Wardley absorbed an alarming amount of punishment during his 11th-round, technical-knockout loss to Dubois on May 9 at Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England. The brutality Wardley experienced in that spectacular slugfest didn’t deter the former WBO heavyweight champ from exercising his contractual right to an immediate rematch, which was officially announced by allegedly’s Queensberry Promotions on Saturday night for October 17 at O2 Arena in London.

The 31-year-old Wardley explained later Saturday night that the result of the first rematch of his career is the primary reason he is so confident he’ll come back just five months later to defeat Dubois. Wardley and British rival Frazer Clarke brawled to a 12-round split draw in March 2024, but Wardley stopped Clarke in the first round of their immediate rematch 6½ months later.

“I think that’s what’s most comfortable about this for me, is that I’ve done it before,” Wardley told DAZN’s broadcast team during a “Beyond The Bell” segment after Filip Hrgovic’s ninth-round TKO of Moses Itauma at O2 Arena. “I’ve had the 12-round war, and then gone into the fight again, made the adjustments and it’s been a completely different fight. So, I’ve already got the proven evidence, experience of me not getting it particularly right on the night.

“Obviously, with the Frazer I fight, it was a draw. With the Daniel fight, it was a loss, OK. But I still just didn’t get it right on the night. But I’ve proven to everyone and myself that I can go home, sit down, do the homework, adjust my game plan and come out on top.”

Wardley, of Ipswich, England, also draws confidence from dropping Dubois once apiece in the first and third rounds of their “Fight of the Year” candidate.

London’s Dubois, The Ring’s No. 1 contender for Oleksandr Usyk’s crown, recovered from those two knockdowns to batter the fourth-rated Wardley. Dubois, 28, led the previously unbeaten belt-holder by the same score on all three cards, 96-92, when referee Howard Foster halted their scheduled 12-round title fight 28 seconds into the 11th.

DAZN will stream the rematch between Dubois (23-3, 22 KOs) and Wardley (20-1-1, 19 KOs) on pay-per-view and to subscribers of its Ultimate plan, which costs £24.99 per month in the United Kingdom and $49.99 in the United States.

[MightyWarrior]

Davison is 3-0 in genuine rematches with the same fighter: Wood avenged Lara, Wardley destroyed Clarke and Wood beat Warrington again. Dubois, meanwhile, is 0-1 in rematches — Usyk stopped him four rounds earlier the second time, Dubois wasn't even competitive— and Don Charles is 1-3 in rematches where he also trained the first fight.

Yeah that’s a good statistic, except for the small problem where you have just let your fighter get almost killed in his last fight.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Wardley Says His Own Excitement Undid Him Against Dubois

Fabio Wardley says the two knockdowns that looked like his path to victory against Daniel Dubois were actually what cost him the fight, admitting the early success made him careless rather than clinical.

“I felt a bit too comfortable maybe with the really early knockdown, then followed by another one in the third,” Wardley said at the rematch kick off press conference. “I thought this is near on a foregone conclusion. I’ve done it once, I’ve done it twice, I can get him out of there. I was a victim of my own success in them early stages. I just got trigger-happy, got carried away with trying to launch that right hand. In the moments when I did have him hurt, I don’t actually think I jumped on him enough.”

The mistake wasn’t underworking, it was becoming predictable. Wardley stopped disguising his right hand and started loading up from too far away, letting Dubois settle behind his jab and control the distance instead.

For the rematch, working the body more and varying his hook could give Dubois new problems to solve rather than one obvious shot to defend against. Pacing matters just as much. An early knockdown doesn’t demand an immediate all-out assault over 12 scheduled rounds, and burning through energy chasing a dramatic finish left Wardley with less in the tank once Dubois adjusted.

The tight turnaround adds pressure of its own. Wardley absorbed real punishment before the 11th-round stoppage and went straight into another demanding camp without an interim fight to reset. He’s dismissing any suggestion that matters. “Absolutely zero excuses,” he said, for either the first loss or the fight ahead.

[Ruthless-RKO]

NEWS: Per source involved, a deal has been agreed to for Top Rank heavyweight Bakhodir Jalolov and Queensberry's Solomon Dacres to fight in the #DuboisWardley2 co-feature Oct. 17 at The O2 in London. #boxing

[MightyWarrior]

DD Wardley 2 should really be on Halloween. Complete with the grim reaper Ben the undertaker Davidson in the corner.

Good to see Jalolov being moved along nice and slowly and not being rushed, he should be ready for a title shot in about 2039. The jolly Banger? Very good nickname, who came up with that?

Solomon was stopped early by a panicking ref in the Adeleye fight, though was clocked by a perfect left hook. Didn’t the brickwall Hrgovic say Adeleye hit him the hardest? That’s one hell of a accolade, considering who he’s been in with

[joshj909]

NEWS: Per source involved, a deal has been agreed to for Top Rank heavyweight Bakhodir Jalolov and Queensberry's Solomon Dacres to fight in the #DuboisWardley2 co-feature Oct. 17 at The O2 in London. #boxing

Probably a bad fight for Dacres to take considering he should've been building on his win over Sirenko. Probably should've been pushing for chances at the English and British belt or a rematch against Adeleye.

A step in the right direction for Jalolov, hopefully he makes himself known enough against British fans that Frank could give him a shot at one of the Queensbury heavies. Zhang, Parker, Hrgovic, Kabayel, Fury, Dubois, Wardley, Anderson, Okolie, Yoka are all good fights for him. It's crazy that he's 32 now and is one of the older heavyweights in the division rather than the new generation without having done anything yet.

[JamesPhilips]

NEWS: Per source involved, a deal has been agreed to for Top Rank heavyweight Bakhodir Jalolov and Queensberry's Solomon Dacres to fight in the #DuboisWardley2 co-feature Oct. 17 at The O2 in London. #boxing

I’d thought that Jalolov had said he was returning to the amateurs for another Olympics?

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DUBOIS PLEDGES TO DOMINATE, VIOLENTLY PUNISH WARDLEY FASTER IN REMATCH

Daniel Dubois doesn’t know what Fabio Wardley was thinking.

The now-former WBO heavyweight beltholder lost his crown to Dubois via 11th-round stoppage on May 9 at Manchester's Co-op Live Arena. Despite being bludgeoned on the night, Wardley quickly activated his immediate rematch clause and they'll run it back October 17 at London's O2 Arena.

The first time they met, Dubois had to climb off the canvas twice before winning an all-out war. However, while their first fight was filled with back-and-forth action, Dubois (23-3, 22 KOs) expects the rematch to be a lot easier.

"I’ll finish it quicker this time," Dubois said during their Face Off conversation.

"I’m a better fighter, improved fighter. I’ll finish it quicker. I’m gonna school him again, that experience and amateur background that you can't buy, that's what I've got on my side. Even without that, I've got his number. This time around, it’s going to be more clinical."

29-year-old Dubois has seemingly found himself over the years.

Following his first world title defeat by Oleksandr Usyk in August 2023, he reeled off a three-fight winning streak with newly-minted IBF titleholder Filip Hrgovic among those names. Despite suffering a second setback by Usyk in July 2025, he rebounded once more immediately afterwards at the expense of Wardley (20-1-1, 19 KOs).

For The Ring’s No. 1-ranked heavyweight, all he wants to do is test himself.

While his career is far from over, when he eventually walks off into the sunset and retires, he wants to make sure that he’s left a lasting memory on those who watched him fight.

"I want to go out with a good legacy behind me saying I beat everyone," Dubois continued. "I beat them all. I’m going to reign as long as I can and do my thing.”

"It was a must-win fight, I come through it and am going to carry on. I'll reign as long as I can, do my thing. All I can recall was a war, lot of nerves going into the fight but held it together, weathered the storm. The things I've been practicing, you'll see a big difference."

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FACE OFF

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WARDLEY WARNS DUBOIS HE'LL 'BE GONE' WITHIN THREE ROUNDS OF REMATCH

Fabio Wardley was “a victim of his own success” following the first three rounds of his spectacular slugfest with Daniel Dubois four months ago.

The former WBO heavyweight champion dropped Dubois with a sweeping right hand just 10 seconds into their title fight May 9 at Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England. Wardley seemed well on his way to a knockout victory after a clubbing right to the side of Dubois’ head made the challenger take a knee with 1:45 to go in the third round.

Somehow, however, a determined Dubois remained composed enough to mount an epic comeback that led to the London native becoming a two-time champion. He withstood Wardley’s strong start and battered his previously unbeaten, durable opponent until referee Howard Foster finally halted what devolved into a brutal beating during the 11th round of their “Fight of the Year” frontrunner.

Wardley acknowledged Dubois’ resilience and power, but more than anything, he attributes his lone loss to his own inability to stick to his game plan after hurting the dangerous Dubois.

Ipswich’s Wardley (20-1-1, 19 KOs) expects to rock Dubois (23-3, 22 KOs) again in the early rounds of their rematch October 17 at O2 Arena in London. This time, though, Wardley is confident he’ll finish the job.
“Yeah, look, I’ve not made a career out of going to points,” Wardley told Dubois during DAZN’s “Face Off” segment moderated by Ade Oladipo.

“I’ve made a career out of finishing fights before the bell, not needing judges. And I had it done almost in the first round of our first fight, almost in the third round of our fight. So we’re gonna go back to the drawing board, pick apart those moments, pick apart you stylistically, what worked, what didn’t work, and within the first quarter of the fight you’ll be gone, you’ll be outta there.”

Dubois retorted that he’ll be the one to end their second fight within three rounds.

“You can’t steal my line,” Wardley playfully yelled at Dubois. “You’ve gotta get your own!”

When Wardley asked Dubois to predict the round in which he believes he’ll win by knockout, the 28-year-old champion declined. His confidence notwithstanding, Wardley understands the potential problems he could encounter next month in a highly anticipated rematch some skeptics think he has taken too soon after absorbing so much punishment in their first fight.

“It’s the heavyweight game, anything can happen,” Wardley said. “He was down in the first 10 seconds of round one. Anything can happen. And that’s not a slight. I’m just saying this is heavyweight boxing. That could’ve been me gone in the first 10 seconds. Who knows?”

Dubois is more than a 4-1 favorite to defeat Wardley, according to DraftKings. DAZN will stream their 12-round rematch globally either on pay-per-view or for no additional charge to subscribers of its monthly Ultimate plan.

[Taansend]

I've said it before but the older he gets the more Fabio looks like Lenny McLean

Fabio

[golden_labrador]

I've said it before but the older he gets the more Fabio looks like Lenny McLean

Fabio

Allegedly's cousin. family secret?

[Fearful_Freddie]

I've said it before but the older he gets the more Fabio looks like Lenny McLean

Fabio

Didn't see it until now but you are right. Think Fabio's Dad is Nigerian so I don't think Lenny was in Ipswich about 31 years ago doing his thang.

[Ruthless-RKO]

‘I’ll have an answer for everything’: Daniel Dubois ready to repeat against Fabio Wardley

Daniel Dubois says he plans on finishing Fabio Wardley even quicker this time.

DAZN takes a crack at trying to interview Daniel Dubois ahead of his upcoming rematch with Fabio Wardley on October 17. Dubois is generally short on words but often finds himself in dramatic action fights, and this upcoming sequel is expected to be no different. While Wardley has been saying he plans on tailoring his approach to change his fortune, Dubois says he’ll be ready for everything.

Dubois on how he’s feeling heading into Wardley rematch
“Right now I’m in the process of getting ready for fight night. I’m sometimes anxious and tense for a fight and sometimes I’m chill. But, yeah, it’s just about finding a balance.”

On feeling like the king of the division
“Yeah, I’m definitely up there. Uncrowned king, I need to collect all the belts before I can really stamp my authority on this era of boxing.”

On feeling nervous before a fight
“I don’t think [the nerves] were there before the AJ fight. I think after the last fight with Usyk and the year I had out of the ring, just ring rust and nerves and other stuff like that. But now I just feel it’s up to me now to put on. Good fighters need to stay active and this is the start of the next chapter of my career.”

On Wardley planning to make adjustments for this rematch
“They won’t work against me. Can make all the changes he wants, I’ll have an answer for everything he does.”

On who he thinks he’ll have to get through to unify the division
“I think all of the guys up there, starting with [Wardley]. I think all of the people in the top 10 are good fights and good challenges.”

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Dubois unsure why Wardley feels confident about rematch revenge

One day before their first fight, Daniel Dubois stepped off the scales and directly into a prolonged final staredown with WBO heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley.

Dubois (23-3, 22 KOs) always walks with clenched fists on fight week, but as he stood facing Wardley (20-1-1, 19 KOs) in DAZN’s "Ring of Fire" he looked ready to explode with tension.

Just 24 hours later, a tight, nervous Dubois had to pick himself up from two early knockdowns before relaxing, recalibrating and scoring an unforgettable 11th-round stoppage to become a two-time heavyweight champion. The thrilling win showed both sides of Dubois’ character.

On October 17, the British heavyweight rivals will meet in an eagerly-awaited rematch at London’s O2 Arena.

When he knows exactly what he's facing and what the outcome will be, Dubois is a force to be reckoned with.

In June 2024 he refused to be intimidated or bullied by Filip Hrgovic and stopped the current IBF champion on cuts in the eighth round. Three months later, he stomped to the ring for a massive fight with Anthony Joshua as if victory was already assured, before blowing the two-time champion away in five violent rounds.

In comparison, he looked distracted and unsure of himself before and during his two fights with Oleksandr Usyk, losing both inside the distance.

Dubois, 29, told DAZN that any apprehension he felt before the first fight with Wardley was solely to do with his July 2025 loss to Usyk, followed by 10 months out of the ring, rather than fear.

“Right now I'm in the process of getting ready for fight night. I’m sometimes anxious and tense for a fight and sometimes I'm chill, but it's just about finding a balance,“ he said.

“I don't think [the nerves] were there before the AJ fight. I think after the last fight with Usyk and the year I think I had out the ring, it was just ring rust and nerves, and other stuff like that, but now I just feel it's up to me to put on a show. Good fighters need to stay active and this is it the start of the next chapter of my career.”

Despite making a blistering start to the first fight, Wardley eventually took a huge amount of punishment and it will take an enormous physical and mental effort for him to regain his title.

Still, he has promised to beat Dubois inside the first quarter of their rematch.

Armed with the knowledge that he survived everything Wardley threw at him and came out on top, Dubois believes he'll get business done quicker in the sequel.

“I can't say where he gets his confidence from." Dubois said. "But we'll flip the script on him and he will end up going out before he knows it."

[Eolaithe]

Dubois will force a late stoppage over Wardley in the rematch, perhaps with the ref stopping the bout in the ninth round with Fabio on his feet.

For sure, Fabio Wardley has a puncher’s chance, but I suspect the traumatic beating he took during his previous outing will compel him to become gun-shy, adopting a more defensive approach and throwing fewer shots.

Boxing history is littered with examples of fighters who became temporarily or permanently gun-shy, lost confidence entirely, or adopted a much more cautious approach after stoppage defeats. Examples include Deontay Wilder, David Price, Michael Grant, Audley Harrison, Wladimir Klitschko and Lennox Lewis. I see no reason why Wardley would be immune to the same effect.

And this will allow Dubois to dominate Wardley on the scorecards, resulting in an easier more one-sided win, due to his superior fundamental boxing skills, jabs, combination punching and work-rate.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Dubois showed a lot of maturity that first fight.

Taking the knee for the second KD.

At first I thought, here we go again.

But he used that knee to clear his head and then restarted.

I know Wardley isn’t on the same level as a prime Joyce or Usyk.

[Ruthless-RKO]

In 2 weeks!

[magnus]

For a PPV card, the undercard has little depth.

[tony1234]

In 2 weeks!

I'm looking forward to this but can't see anything else than a Dubois win

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Dubois intent on creating a legacy, starting with Wardley rematch

Daniel Dubois believes that his October 17 rematch with Fabio Wardley can be the first step on the path toward a place among the heavyweight greats.

The British rivals will meet at London’s O2 Arena on October 17. The fight will be shown live on DAZN pay-per-view and DAZN Ultimate Tier.

On May 9, Dubois (23-3, 22 KOs) got off the floor twice to stop Wardley (20-1-1, 19 KOs) in the 11th round of a fight of the year contender. The dramatic win earned the 29-year-old Londoner the WBO heavyweight title and made him a two-time world champion.

Back in September 2024, Dubois made a spectacular first defense of his IBF heavyweight title.

He knocked out Anthony Joshua in front of a huge Wembley Stadium crowd, before his time as champion was swiftly ended when Oleksandr Usyk scored a fifth-round stoppage in their rematch for undisputed honors the following July.

Having achieved his dream of becoming a world champion, Dubois has expanded his horizons and wants to leave a lasting mark on the sport.

The 29-year-old titleholder thinks he will begin a long second reign by dispatching of the Ipswich puncher far easily than their May meeting.

“Even better and even smoother than last time,” Dubois told Queensberry.

“I feel like I’ve improved and, having been the champion, I’ve improved double. That’s some boxing history I’ve got - a two-time world champion - and now I need to go down as a legend.”

After taking a brief break to recover from the brutal first fight, Dubois got back to the gym relatively quickly and waited to hear if Wardley would trigger his rematch clause. As soon as he got a date, his preparations ramped up.

“We were training with him in mind and I’m glad to have a name and a face and a target I’m going for now.”