London: Daniel Dubois retained his WBO heavyweight title with a crushing second-round stoppage of Fabio Wardley in their rematch at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday, delivering a dominant performance to remain world champion.
Dubois attacked from the opening bell and dropped Wardley with a powerful right hand just 17 seconds into the fight. The champion continued to apply pressure throughout the opening round, leaving Wardley struggling to withstand the assault. Despite the punishment, the challenger survived until the bell.
The relentless attack continued in the second round as Dubois overwhelmed Wardley with a series of punches. Wardley’s corner threw in the towel with 39 seconds remaining in the round, prompting referee Steve Gray to stop the contest. The victory marked Dubois’ second consecutive stoppage win over Wardley, following their first meeting in May.
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Speaking to DAZN after the fight, Dubois praised Wardley’s resilience but declared that the victory marked his era in the heavyweight division. ‘Fabio is a great warrior, but it was my time, my era,’ the champion stated, adding that the team had entered the rematch determined to demonstrate its intent.
Wardley acknowledged the champion’s performance and expressed determination to recover from the defeat. The challenger praised Dubois for returning successfully after previous setbacks and stated that the experience would motivate a similar comeback.
Attention subsequently turned to a potential future heavyweight showdown when Filip Hrgovic entered the ring and discussed the prospect of a rematch with Dubois in March. Hrgovic previously defeated Dubois in 2024, adding further interest to the possibility of another meeting between the heavyweights.
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