BoxRec

Dubois says Warren hopes he beats Wardley - here is why

Daniel Dubois joked that a victory for him over Fabio Wardley is the ideal outcome for promoter allegedly.

The pair, who are both contracted to Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, meet for Wardley’s WBO heavyweight title at Co-op Live Arena, Manchester live on DAZN PPV come Saturday night.

Whoever emerges from the clash with the belt will have two main options: defend against Moses Itauma, who looks set to be named mandatory challenger, or hope to secure an undisputed fight with Oleksandr Usyk.

However, both of those fights have significant sticking points for depending on who wins in Manchester. Wardley has already stated that he does not plan on facing stablemate Itauma while Dubois has already been stopped by Usyk twice.

But if Dubois beats Wardley, he could feasibly make his first defence against Itauma. This would also allow Warren to push for WBC mandatory challenger Agit Kabayel, another of his leading heavyweights, to get his shot at Usyk.

So, during a media roundtable which he conducted alongside Warren, the 28-year-old challenger said his promoter must be hoping he wins so that he can make Dubois-Itauma for the world heavyweight title straight away.

“It’s definitely better for Frank if I win,” he laughed. “It’s a better fight isn’t it Frank?”

Warren could only smile back at Dubois. “I mean, look how strong we are,” he said in relation to his stable.

Having turned over under Warren as a teenager himself, Dubois knows all about the position that Itauma (14-0, 12 KOs) is in as he climbs rapidly towards the top of the division.

When asked if Itauma reminds him of himself a few years back, Dubois said: “Yeah, he’s a good prospect, man.

“He did really well [against Jermaine Franklin] in his last fight. He took him out in style and he’s doing everything that’s asked of him, I guess.”

Before either of them have to worry about Itauma or Usyk, one of Dubois or Wardley have to emerge from Saturday night victorious. Many have predicted a shootout for the ages and Wardley has insisted he will be going out “all guns blazing.”

But former IBF heavyweight champion Dubois (22-3, 21 KOs), a decorated amateur boxer, says that it will be his skills and not just power that get the job done in Manchester.

“This is as much about skills as punch power,” he said. “I think I'm going to show that I've got a punch and a bit of boxing skill about me.

“I'm the one with the amateur experience and an amateur pedigree. So I'm going to show that on the night.

“Fabio has been lucky on his come up but his luck runs out when he comes up against me. You’ve seen him come back from the dead in fights but he can’t do that this time.”

CaptainSpacerod wrote: ↑08 May 2026, 07:08

Kilburn wrote: ↑07 May 2026, 16:15 It was the Joyce defeat that first made me a real fan of Dubois. His heavy punching work rate was impressive up until the end. Bowing out with a broken eye socket was hardly a disgrace.

Lerena stung him with a shot but it was pretty clear from what followed that the knee was the real issue affecting Dubois, who rallied back and nearly took the guys head off with that uppercut.

The Usyk losses never look great, but then who’s to say Wardley wouldn’t also go down in a heap vs Usyk? Hard to imagine an alternative outcome really.

Wardley has it in him to beat Dubois spectacularly for sure, but it won’t be some sort of Usyk blueprint he’ll be using, which means it’s likely Dubois will have ample opportunity to throw and land himself.

May the best man win.

Well said Kilburn

I think DD gets a lot of gratuitous criticism that he doesn’t deserve. I’ve not seen anybody calling Zurdo a quitter for doing exactly the same thing against Benavidez that Daniel did against Joyce

Yes he was well beaten twice by Usyk but he gave Usyk more trouble, albeit briefly, with that phantom low blow than AJ and Fury did in 48 rounds between them

He proved he has cojones in the Miller and Hrgivic fights and then proved he could handle his nerves on the biggest stage of all by spectacularly doing to AJ what nobody had been able to do before.

I don’t like the way he’s beginning to be slightly mocked in a condescending way by people just for being slightly awkward in interviews with implications that he’s stupid or autistic. Maybe he’s just a bit shy around strangers who are asking him the same mundane questions over and over again.

Wardley comes across as a great guy and I wish him well but I’d like to see Daniel win this and shut a few of his critics up.

I do usually root for Dubois, and a large part of it is probably due to the repeated IQ / autism comments that float around on the web constantly (I honestly don’t understand the fascination). Also I think this mocking mindset can sway some people in the way they predict certain fights, and of course, they hate it if they’re proven wrong.

That said I’m pretty neutral for this fight tomorrow. It’s impossible not to like Wardley as a fighter and a boxing persona.

I’d have to slightly favour the momentum and apparent hunger of Fabio. I do wonder about Dubois’s motivation, he’s still young but has earned some serious money and has already lost against the best guy in the division twice (worse the second time around). I can’t see Dubois wanting it the more of the two.

But as said, may the best man win as always.

Weigh in

Fabio Wardley - 242.2 lbs
Daniel Dubois - 251.7 lbs

I caught the face off with Simon Jordan, Wardley is a really good talker, Dubois isnt

handsofstone wrote: ↑08 May 2026, 14:38 I caught the face off with Simon Jordan, Wardley is a really good talker, Dubois isnt

Career heaviest for DDD and he looks a little soft. Not good signs.

Yeah DDD looks a little fleshy round the gut. Dubois doesn’t look relaxed at all, boxing is a lot to do with mindset and Wardley is far more confident.

handsofstone wrote: ↑08 May 2026, 14:38 I caught the face off with Simon Jordan, Wardley is a really good talker, Dubois isnt

I know this sounds like an insult, but genuinely in a matter of fact way, dubois seems exceptionally thick

Controversial wrote: ↑08 May 2026, 15:18 Yeah DDD looks a little fleshy round the gut. Dubois doesn’t look relaxed at all, boxing is a lot to do with mindset and Wardley is far more confident.

Totally agree.
Not happy with the look or demeanor from Dubois.
I've been so keen on this fight, I really hope it's a banger but Dubois looked physically and mentally defeated.

Literally cannot pick a winner here. But entertaining heavyweight clash with that KO ratios ....i cannot wait for tommorow

KiwiRider wrote: ↑08 May 2026, 15:39

Controversial wrote: ↑08 May 2026, 15:18 Yeah DDD looks a little fleshy round the gut. Dubois doesn’t look relaxed at all, boxing is a lot to do with mindset and Wardley is far more confident.

Totally agree.
Not happy with the look or demeanor from Dubois.
I've been so keen on this fight, I really hope it's a banger but Dubois looked physically and mentally defeated.

Hope it’s a cracker. I’m backing Wardley to win early

I’m sure he really cares that I’m
Backing him

Other weights:

10 rounds, welterweights:
Jack Rafferty (146.9lbs)
Ekow Essuman (146.7lbs)

10 rounds, light heavyweights:
David Morrell (176.1lbs)
Zak Chelli (177.1lbs)

10 rounds, heavyweights:
Bakhodir Jalolov (254.9lbs)
Agron Smakici (241lbs)

10 rounds, light heavyweights:
Brad Rea (173.8lbs)
Liam Cameron (174.4lbs)

10 rounds, junior welterweights:
Khaleel Majid (139.7lbs)
Gavin Gwynne (139.7lbs)

Big ask for Zak, hope he performs well regardless of result, a decent fella. I love the relationship him and his Pa have too.

Not a popular opinion I imagine but I hope Rea beats Cameron.

paultom wrote: ↑07 May 2026, 07:38
out of interest, what nationality would you describe Bugner as ?

Good question.

I think of him as an Aussie first, with British & Hungarian roots.

I still think of myself as a Londoner despite having spent more of my life outside of the UK than in it.

Others think of me strictly as a Caahnt.

Taansend wrote: ↑08 May 2026, 16:21

paultom wrote: ↑07 May 2026, 07:38
out of interest, what nationality would you describe Bugner as ?

Good question.

I think of him as an Aussie first, with British & Hungarian roots.

I still think of myself as a Londoner despite having spent more of my life outside of the UK than in it.

Others think of me strictly as a Caahnt.

He's as British as cod and chips, except he might put tomato sauce on his chips instead of vinegar.

Would have liked to have seen Dubois at 240 -245, so that his weight wasn’t even a talking point.

But I’m not seeing anything else to suggest he’s not ready for another battle tomorrow night.

Wardley is such a confident talker isn’t he. Although I’m not sure I’d have brought up Lerena as evidence of Duboi’s fragility or inconsistency. Literally everyone saw what happened there, maybe it was an attempt to get Daniel riled up.

Kilburn wrote: ↑08 May 2026, 16:39 Would have liked to have seen Dubois at 240 -245, so that his weight wasn’t even a talking point.

I think his frame is such that he can carry that weight, but I definitely didn't like seeing him so squishy. Wardley is a hard late finisher who hasn't been really troubled in a firefight yet and is probably smart enough not to get into one.
Dubois needed to be in 12 round shape and I don't think he is, or is going to struggle if it goes deep.

We live in an age where being verbally articulate is excessively prized. This shows in the glut of podcasts where people talk confidently out of their aholes while being devoid of genuine intelligence or insight. We also all know politicians who have built their entire careers on this skill.

DDD does not fit in this world. Basically he cant talk for whatever reason, so his behaviour stands out. But verbal dexterity counts for nothing in a solo, silent sport like boxing.

Fighting is the only language Dubois can express himself in. AJ wasn't thinking about DDDs lack of debating ability when he was being bludgeoned to the canvas, and neither will Wardley when it happens to him tomorrow night.

Power, skill and experience will mean more than chat and I say that as a fan of Wardley and as someone who loves listening to him, but this is game over.

What a terrible imposition on the fighters that prolonged interview with Simon Jordan was. No wonder Dan looked a bit awkward having to stand there for ten minutes while the same old questions he’s heard for weeks and weeks were trotted out.

I have no concerns about Dan’s weight. He’s a mere 3 lbs heavier than he was for his career best performance against AJ

veriton wrote: ↑08 May 2026, 17:05 We live in an age where being verbally articulate is excessively prized. This shows in the glut of podcasts where people talk confidently out of their aholes while being devoid of genuine intelligence or insight. We also all know politicians who have built their entire careers on this skill.

DDD does not fit in this world. Basically he cant talk for whatever reason, so his behaviour stands out. But verbal dexterity counts for nothing in a solo, silent sport like boxing.

Fighting is the only language Dubois can express himself in. AJ wasn't thinking about DDDs lack of debating ability when he was being bludgeoned to the canvas, and neither will Wardley when it happens to him tomorrow night.

Power, skill and experience will mean more than chat and I say that as a fan of Wardley and as someone who loves listening to him, but this is game over.

SeanBrennan wrote: ↑08 May 2026, 15:56

KiwiRider wrote: ↑08 May 2026, 15:39

Controversial wrote: ↑08 May 2026, 15:18 Yeah DDD looks a little fleshy round the gut. Dubois doesn’t look relaxed at all, boxing is a lot to do with mindset and Wardley is far more confident.

Totally agree.
Not happy with the look or demeanor from Dubois.
I've been so keen on this fight, I really hope it's a banger but Dubois looked physically and mentally defeated.

Hope it’s a cracker. I’m backing Wardley to win early

I’m sure he really cares that I’m
Backing him

DD if its a firefight early, i dont think wardley wins a shootout if it happens early on. Dubois is like a pit bull with a lit fag up its arse early doors.

If it goes past 5 and wardley hasnt been bashed up then fabio is favourite.

We will see. Great fight.

I'm looking forward to this very much. I wouldn't dare bet, however. If pressed, I say Wardley stops Dubois but a fairly early KO win for Dubois would not shock me at all.