Darshan Desai Uncrowned Fri, October 16, 2026 at 4:42 PM UTC · 5 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just 160 days after their instant classic in May , Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley are preparing to do it all over again.
Their first meeting for the WBO heavyweight title in Manchester was a brutal firefight. Dubois climbed off the canvas in Rounds 1 and 3, survived an early onslaught, and turned what at times looked like an unwinnable fight into an 11th-round stoppage victory.
As Dubois grew into the fight, Wardley faded out of it. The ex-champion's early success gave way to a sustained beating, with calls for his corner to throw in the towel growing louder as the punishment mounted.
Eventually, referee Howard Foster intervened in the penultimate round — a compassionate call that perhaps should've been made several rounds prior.
Although it is common for boxers to take as much as a year out of the ring to recover from such a taxing fight — or just after any fight in 2026 — Dubois and Wardley will run it back just over five months after their first meeting .
With little more than 24 hours until their rematch at London's O2 Arena, Uncrowned examines the biggest talking points surrounding the sequel, starting with one that scarcely needs asking: Just how big are Wardley's balls?
Daniel Dubois (left) and Fabio Wardley's first meeting is a frontrunner for Fight of the Year.
Wardley's toughness cannot be questioned after his fight with Dubois. The Ipswich fighter sustained plenty of punishment late in that bout but refused to give up, adamant that he could still turn things around — as he'd done previously in his two prior fights against Joseph Parker and Justis Huni.
But how many times can you go back to the well before there's nothing left?
For a man with just 22 fights, Wardley has already had a physically demanding career. The wear and tear will be visible on Saturday when Dubois gets his jab going on Wardley's nose, and it busts open again.
With just 160 days to heal from such a brutal affair, it's difficult to imagine Wardley has fully recovered going into the second meeting, nor will he be able to sustain the same amount of punishment. The rematch has likely come too soon for him to be at his best.
Wardley is his most dangerous early — and that surely has to be the game plan.
Wardley had Dubois down just seconds into their first fight and then put him on the floor again in Round 3. The former champion must believe that if he can jump on Dubois in the opening few rounds and make it a shootout, with his speed advantage and raw power, he has the chance to end things quickly.
Dubois was floored both times by overhand rights near the side of his head, which crumbled his balance and saw his legs betray him momentarily. The overhand right is very much Wardley's money punch, and with so much of Dubois' game dictated by his jab, Wardley surely will have plenty of opportunities to land that shot over Dubois' left.
That strategy may also put him in harm's way, though. Dubois has ended 22 of his 23 wins inside the distance. He's a monstrous puncher as well, and if Wardley commits to power shots early, it could leave him open to ferocious counters.
In their first fight, Dubois was able to hurt Wardley, but Wardley stood up to the power better. When Dubois was caught by a big shot, he found himself on the canvas; Wardley, however, did not. But will it be the same in the rematch? Has the cumulative punishment had a lasting impact on Wardley's chin, which has been so reliable in the past?
There are some comparisons between this rematch and Joe Joyce vs. Zhilei Zhang 2 in 2023. Joyce was the most durable fighter in the division. He had a granite chin and was marketed as an immovable object. Zhang was a devastating puncher, and in their first fight, Joyce stood up to his power until eye damage forced the fight to end prematurely.
When they fought the second time, though, Joyce's chin wasn't the same. Zhang forced an early finish with a mammoth right hook. Another similarity to Dubois vs. Wardley 2 was the short turnaround — just five months on both occasions.
Joyce was never the same fighter after the first Zhang fight, and I fear that may be the case for Wardley too.
As for Dubois, the key for him in this fight will be to stay alert early and settle into a rhythm. Once Dubois can establish himself in the fight and have success with his jab, it will pave the way for him to land his heavier punches on Wardley. The champion needs to weather what will likely be a heavy storm in the opening rounds and try to take over as the fight plays out.
Another key advantage in the rematch — just as it was in the first fight — is Dubois' fundamentals, which are much better than those of Wardley. Dubois was a top amateur with numerous youth and junior bouts, while Wardley came up through the white-collar route. Dubois' schooling has led him to be better prepared for the world level of the heavyweight division.
It's likely Wardley is not as durable as he was in the first fight, and therefore I see Dubois breaking him down and getting him out earlier this time.
Lightweight: Louie O'Doherty def. Michael Gomez Jr.
Heavyweight: Solomon Dacres def. Bakhodir Jalolov
Super flyweight: Tony Curtis def. Kerim Agius
Super featherweight: Nelson Birchall def. Levi Giles
Featherweight: Leighton Birchall def. Luis Vara Carrillo
Lightweight: Fawas Aborode def. Rashid Omar
Featherweight: Manny Safari def. Jake Pollard
Heavyweight: Adam Olaniyan def. Dan Garber
Super featherweight: Aaron Noriega def. Leonardo Baez
Super featherweight: Zayn Ahmed def. Kasey Bradnum
Middleweight: Issiah Hamilton-Allen def. Jensen Irving
Source: Sports
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