Tonight, Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley will collide again as they vie over the WBO heavyweight title, five months after their immense first clash.
In May, Dubois rose from the canvas twice in the first three rounds – including in the opening 20 seconds – before battling back to stop Wardley on his feet in the 11th round.
Wardley surrendered the WBO belt, beaten for the first time as a professional, while Dubois became a two-weight world champion.
After that dramatic showdown in Manchester, the British rivals will share a ring in London tonight, headlining at the O2 Arena.
Follow live updates and results from Dubois vs Wardley 2, below.
Read MoreThe vital change Fabio Wardley needs to claim revenge in heavyweight cracker vs Daniel Dubois
The Fabio Wardley fear motivating mission for revenge against Daniel Dubois
Top 10 heavyweight fighters in boxing as Dubois and Wardley rematch before Fury vs Joshua
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE
- Daniel Dubois defends WBO heavyweight title in rematch with Fabio Wardley
- Pair headline at London’s O2 Arena, five months after Dubois stopped Wardley
- Dubois was dropped twice in early rounds but beat fellow Briton late on
- Dubois took WBO belt from Wardley, who suffered his first pro loss
- Main card started at 7pm BST; main event from 10.30pm BST
- Action streams live on DAZN pay-per-view and DAZN’s Ultimate Tier
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Louie O’Doherty vs Michael Gomez Jr
22:24 , Will CastleThe scorecards are in...
Louie O’Doherty and Michael Gomez Jr goes to majority draw (115-114, 114-114, 114-114)
WHAT?! Sorry Louie, but that is an absolutely crazy decision.
Gomez Jr looked like he won that by a distance - he can’t believe, storming off in anger and now unloading his frustration to the camera, and neither can the crowd who boo the decision.
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Louie O’Doherty vs Michael Gomez Jr
22:20 , Will CastleRound 12
With desperation that will come when you have a round to save your title, O’Doherty again forces Gomez Jr to the ropes to start this off and is teeing off on his guard.
Gomez Jr is holding firm before putting his gloves down and seemingly taunting in the face of the champ.
It gets to phone-booth distance again and O’Doherty, grunting on every punch, is trying to produce something big from very little distance.
He can’t and seconds before the bell, Gomez Jr is already celebrating around the ring. O’Doherty drops his gloves - he knows his fate is sealed. The titles will surely be changing hands...
Fabio Wardley getting the love in London
22:16 , Will CastleFabio Wardley is shown on the big screen warming up in his changing room, and it’s met with a big cheer from the crowd.
A reminder that his mammoth main event with Daniel Dubois will be up next.
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Louie O’Doherty vs Michael Gomez Jr
22:14 , Will CastleRound 11
Better from O’Doherty as the penultimate round gets underway, with the champion surely knowing he needs a finish to get out of here with his title intact. He presses Gomez Jr early on and catches him in the corner.
But Gomez Jr responds and lands a nice two-piece before connecting with the jab, snapping O’Doherty’s head back. He doesn’t look like being finished.
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Louie O’Doherty vs Michael Gomez Jr
22:11 , Will CastleRound nine
Gomez Jr is breathing heavy but the pace is still there, catching O’Doherty with a big left. More punishment is unloaded in the clinch, the champion responding with shots to the body.
Round 10
You’d be hard-pressed to give the champion a round as we approach the final rounds. He does tag Gomez Jr with a left cross but it feels largely insignificant, with the bigger shot of the round coming later from Gomez Jr’s hands. A stiff inside left lands flush. Very much the challenger’s to lose, this.
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Louie O’Doherty vs Michael Gomez Jr
22:03 , Will CastleRound seven
Gomez Jr is not letting up. He’s continuing to pummel O’Doherty not with killer shots, but with offence that will chip away at the champion and, at this rate, win him the right on the scorecards. They trade right hooks as the bell rings. Unrelenting, this.
Round eight
The attacks are piling up for O’Doherty who eats four or five punches to the face in quick succession. He’s being overwhelmed as another inside left lands on the money. O’Doherty aims to respond behind his jab but Gomez Jr mostly dodges.
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Louie O’Doherty vs Michael Gomez Jr
21:55 , Will CastleRound five
This has been a busy and taxing bout so far. Both men aren’t giving each other an inch as they land uppercuts and body shots in the clinch. O’Doherty is upping the ante after weathering a storm earlier in the fight.
Round six
More close-quarters stuff as Gomez Jr lands a sharp three-piece combo from tight. Another sharp right jab passes across to face of O’Doherty. He just keeps unloading at a ferocious pace, as O’Doherty tries to respond by getting a jab of his own through.
Halfway there.
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Louie O’Doherty vs Michael Gomez Jr
21:47 , Will CastleRound three
O’Doherty is firing back but it is still Gomez Jr on the attack. He’s piecing together big shots to the body and the head, snapping O’Doherty’s head back. The question is whether he can keep up this intensity if this fight gets to the latter rounds.
Round four
O’Doherty starts this on the front foot. He is beginning to go through the gears rather than constantly being on the defensive, landing a couple nice shots. But Gomez Jr isn’t exactly tiring. After a nice inside right, he gets him to the ropes and ends the round with a barrage of offence.
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Louie O’Doherty vs Michael Gomez Jr
21:39 , Will CastleRound one
O’Doherty is having to deal with some real pressure early doors here as Gomez Jr walks him down behind his jab. He gets him into the corner before landing a stiff uppercut. O’Doherty is firing back with some offence of his own but it hasn’t deterred Gomez Jr yet.
Round two
Gomez Jr is going for the kill early on. The bigger man is unleashing heavy artillery and is walking into any response from the champion without fear. A sharp right cross at the end gets a reaction from the crowd.
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Louie O’Doherty vs Michael Gomez Jr
21:26 , Will CastleOne more fight before the main event we’re all waiting for, and it’s for British and Commonwealth lightweight gold as the undefeated champion Louie O’Doherty faces off against Michael Gomez Jr.
O’Doherty, at 12-0, added the vacant Commonwealth title to his British belt last time out as he put away Ahmed Hatim by unanimous decision.
Gomez Jr has held British and Commonwealth gold at super featherweight and will hope to conquer up a weight class.
Scheduled for 12 rounds, who will leave the O2 with the hardware?
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Adam Olaniyan vs Dan Garber
21:13 , Will Castle“It’s what I was made for,” says Olaniyan who adds tonight’s triumph to wins at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool and Croke Park. He loves the big stage!
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Adam Olaniyan vs Dan Garber
21:10 , Will CastleRound one
It’s a strong start by Olaniyan. He tags a left hook across Garber’s face which gets a reaction but it’s a massive right at the end of the round that defines it, rocking Garber back into the corner.
This has the feeling of a quick statement for the 20-year-old Irishman.
Round two
Olaniyan is unloading Garber with one more big shot, Garber goes down!
But hold on, what’s going on here? His corner has thrown in the towel despite Garber getting back to his feet, and both Garber and the referee aren’t having it.
She kicks the towel back out, letting the fight restart, but within a few moments Olaniyan is all over Garber again and puts him to the canvas with a big right.
Again, the towel is thrown in and again, it’s ignored by the referee. It’s wild. The count continues, before it’s eventually waved off on the referee’s accord. Ridiculous stuff.
Adam Olaniyan def. Dan Garber via second-round TKO (1:15)
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Adam Olaniyan vs Dan Garber
20:58 , Will CastleTwo more undercard bouts to go...
Undefeated Irish prospect Adam Olaniyan is up next as the heavyweight seeks to continue his rapid rise against Dan Garber.
At 4-0, Olaniyan comes to the O2 off the back of a statement display on hallowed local turf, knocking out Matej Hudak at Croke Park on the undercard of Katie Taylor’s farewell fight just last month.
He now re-enters the ring to take on Garber, who has strung two wins together following back-to-back defeats, all this year. This will be his seventh fight of 2026.
The Fabio Wardley fear motivating mission for revenge against Daniel Dubois
20:57 , Will CastleWill Castle spoke to tonight’s challenger Fabio Wardley before his heavyweight title rematch with Daniel Dubois - here’s what he had to say:
As a battered and bruised Fabio Wardley made his way to the back following his war with Daniel Dubois in May - right eye closed shut, nose splattered, the white of his Ipswich Town-themed trunks now pink - the now-former WBO world champion had one thought and one thought only: “Get me back in.”
Wardley had just been on the losing end of a firefight that he could have had in the bag inside 15 seconds. His first-round knockdown of Dubois was followed up by another two rounds later, as the 31-year-old consigned criticism of being a slow starter to the scrapheap once and for all. Alas, it was during the third round where one sharp Dubois overhand right turned the tides. A torrent of ‘Dynamite’ punishment ensued, proving his heart beyond doubt, and Wardley was eventually stopped in the 11th.
It was a brutal way to be dealt a first career loss. But Wardley didn’t want to wallow in his failure; not for a second. Asked at what point he requested the rematch, which goes down at London’s O2 Arena this Saturday, Wardley said: “Immediately. I was sat in the changing room and I think I was asking for Frank [Warren, his promoter]. I was like, ‘Someone go get Frank and tell him we're doing this again in November,’ immediately.”
The Fabio Wardley fear that motivates his Daniel Dubois revenge mission
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Bakhodir Jalolov vs Solomon Dacres
20:44 , Will CastleRound 10
Three minutes to go and Dacres needs a Hail Mary finish to win this. The judges will be generous to give him a round.
The same problem continues to persist: he can’t close the gap. That’s until he lands a sharp left cross and suddenly he’s giving this a real go. He’s emptying the tank and landing shot after shot, with Jalolov on the back foot. Can he find the killer shot at the 11th hour?
He can’t. Jalolov gets to the bell. This will be his. The scorecards are in...
Bakhodir Jalolov def. Solomon Dacres via unanimous decision (99-91, 99-91, 99-91)
Not exactly a heavyweight classic, that.
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Bakhodir Jalolov vs Solomon Dacres
20:39 , Will CastleRound eight
We regress to a quieter round as this fight’s climax nears, but it’s Jalolov doing any damage. He snaps Dacres head back with a well-placed jab and later connects with a still body shot.
Round nine
Sharp left from Jalolov connects in the corner before sending Dacres slightly stumbling with another in the centre. Another nice one-two is eaten up Dacres, who just can’t get within distance to adequately respond. The Uzbek is in control.
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Bakhodir Jalolov vs Solomon Dacres
20:32 , Will CastleRound six
Dacres needs to be wary but he does seem to be growing into this fight despite the knockdown. He catches Jalolov on the way up with a left hook but as he goes on the offensive, he’s caught with a counter jab.
They trade significant shots with a minute to go, sweat spraying off both. Dacres narrowly avoids a big left cross in the final seconds. This is better.
Round seven
Jalolov starts the seventh on top, pressing Dacres straight away, before later connecting with a sharp one-two. Dacres also has a split in his shorts - if we needed a better view of his backside, we’ve got it.
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Bakhodir Jalolov vs Solomon Dacres
20:30 , Will CastleRound four
At last, Dacres’ right connects with the big dome Jalolov, but the Uzbek eats it up. He doesn’t let it snowball into a Dacres flurry and sees off the fourth with a nice shot of his own, to a reaction from his corner.
Round five
There we go! A huge double jab floors Dacres for the first time this fight and suddenly the bout has life.
Dacres takes a few deep breaths and is ready to continue - but he’s got colour, his nose bleeding. The fight restarts and Jalolov goes to unleash an onslaught, but Dacres survives.
The Brit tags Jalolov with own a couple times before the round’s close. Suddenly this is looking like a heavyweight fight.
Daniel Dubois is in the building
20:17 , Will CastleIn between rounds of what has so far been a very unremarkable heavyweight bout, the second half of tonight’s blockbuster main event appears on the big screen.
Defending champion Daniel Dubois has arrived at the O2!
All eyes on the champ 👀
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) October 17, 2026
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Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Bakhodir Jalolov vs Solomon Dacres
20:16 , Will CastleRound three
Dacres is really struggling to land here with Jalolov constantly a half-step too far away. Swift right hook from Jalolov knocks a cloud of sweat off Dacres to end the round.
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Bakhodir Jalolov vs Solomon Dacres
20:11 , Will CastleRound one
Cagey first round as Jalolov tries to establish himself as the aggressor, but he can’t land anything significant leading with his left. Lots of feinting, not much action.
Round two
Right hook from Dacres knocks Jalolov back a step before the Uzbek giant responds with big right cross. Both men beginning to commit more with their big shots.
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Bakhodir Jalolov vs Solomon Dacres
20:04 , Will CastleDacres walked out to ‘Still Speedin’ by rapper Sway, who passed away aged just 44 last month. Nice touch, and an absolute tune.
Solomon Dacres walks out for his undercard bout with Bakhodir Jalolov to Still Speedin’ by Sway, who passed away last month aged just 44. Nice touch. #DuboisWardley2 pic.twitter.com/l7aepGNZKD
— Will Castle (@WillCastleSport) October 17, 2026
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Bakhodir Jalolov vs Solomon Dacres
20:00 , Will CastleNext up, British heavyweight Solomon Dacres faces the serious test of undefeated Uzbek giant Bakhodir Jalolov.
Jalolov was on the undercard of Dubois vs Wardley 1 in May, picking up the victory as Agron Smakici retired on the stool.
Dacres, meanwhile, is hoping to stay in the win column after bouncing back from his first professional loss in December 2024 with a stunning upset over Vladyslav Sirenko at Wembley Stadium on the undercard of Usyk vs Dubois.
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: A nod to Luke Littler
19:57 , Will CastleLuke Littler is in the crowd tonight, which must’ve been spotted by the O2 Arena DJ who started playing his walkout anthem ‘Greenlight’ before that last fight. Looks like he enjoyed that little nod!
He’s far from the only man in the building ready to go-oh-oh (oh, wee-oh, wee-oh, wee-oh, wee-oh, oh, oh).
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Nelson Birchall vs Levi Giles
19:52 , Will CastleNelson ‘The Sexy One’ Birchall (that’s his nickname, not my personal assessment) is joined in the ring by his brother Leighton (maybe ‘The Smart One’?), who also won earlier tonight in the prelims. Good night for the family.
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Nelson Birchall vs Levi Giles
19:48 , Will CastleRound seven
Straight into it, Birchall is out for the finish. He’s got Giles in his corner and is unloading until he goes down for a third time. The ref has seen enough - it’s waved off!
An impressive display by the Morecambe boy who stays undefeated at 13-0.
Nelson Birchall def. Levi Giles via seventh-round TKO (0:51)
Fabio Wardley has arrived!
19:47 , Will CastleWe’ve just seen a shot on the big screen of Fabio Wardley making his way through the building. Tonight’s challenger is here!
Wardley in the building!
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) October 17, 2026
🎟️ Buy #DuboisWardley2 NOW at https://t.co/yxybEeo0Px | LIVE NOW Exclusively on DAZN 🤳 pic.twitter.com/n0omcRKBgD
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Nelson Birchall vs Levi Giles
19:46 , Will CastleRound five
Most significant round of the fight so far. After starting the fifth with a slip in the opposition corner, he lands a huge body shot that puts Giles down!
Giles stays on the canvas until the count of nine before regaining his feet, with a storm about to hit him. Smelling blood, Birchall unloads on Giles who is covering up.
He just about survives the round, but he’s on the ropes.
Round six
Birchall is out to finish this and within a minute he gets Giles down again. A left hook and uppercut has Giles on the canvas once again, but he again makes the count.
Birchall is targeting the body which is giving Giles real trouble - both knockdowns were either caused or stemmed from a shot to the stomach which left Giles grimacing. He does show a semblance of a fightback with a counter cross, but he’s firmly in survival mode at the moment.
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Nelson Birchall vs Levi Giles
19:37 , Will CastleRound three
Good work from Birchall as a one-two connects flush on the face. It seems to wake Giles up somewhat, who responds with an attack of his own rather than covering up. Birchall is still landing the bigger shots, though, with a beautiful right hand to the body putting his stamp on the round.
Round four
Giles begins to turn up the heat, punching Birchall into his own corner as the Morecambe man weathers something of a storm. But the tide of the round turns as Birchall connects with a lovely lead hook. Both men are swinging now, and connecting.
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Nelson Birchall vs Levi Giles
19:29 , Will CastleRound one
Birchall chipping away at the body early doors before Giles tries with a left cross. Birchall is on ever so slightly on top and finishes a cagey first round with something of a flurry, changing levels before getting a couple jabs partially through the guard.
Round two
Another round with little to note with Giles holding up the gloves and Birchall punching mostly into them. Giles gets encouraging applause from his corner as he tries to press late in the round. Just warming up, this one.
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: First fight of the night!
19:16 , Will CastleFirst up, we’ve got 22-year-old prospect Nelson Birchall up against Levi Giles in a super-featherweight bout.
Morecambe’s Birchall is undefeated in 12 fights, nine of which have come via knockout, while Giles is hoping to bounce back from defeat to Giorgio Visioli back in March.
Nelson’s brother Leighton has already fought tonight and won, beating Luis Vara Carrillo by unanimous decision in the prelims. Can ‘The Sexy One’ make it a perfect night for the Birchall family?
The fighters are walking to the ring...
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Pictures from the prelims
19:11 , Will Castle
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE: Main card about to begin
19:00 , Will CastleThe main card is just about to get underway at the O2 Arena before Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley throw down later tonight.
Here’s what’s coming up before that blockbuster main event:
Louie O’Doherty (C) vs Michael Gomez Jr (British and Commonwealth lightweight titles)
Adam Olaniyan vs Dan Garber (heavyweight)
Bakhodir Jalolov vs Solomon Dacres (heavyweight)
Nelson Birchall vs Levi Giles (super-featherweight)
Fighter predictions
18:54 , Will CastleShock horror, both Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley think they are going to win this rematch. But how, you may ask?
Dubois has promised to beat Wardley "in style this time" and wants to avoid needing a rallying performance, like he did in May.
“I wish I was more clinical and took him out earlier than that,” he said. “That was a nightmare, so don’t let it get to that point again.”
He added: “Slow starting no more. Get a good warm-up and come out firing.”
Wardley likewise believes he will finish Dubois early.
He told DAZN: “There’s some clear things in that fight that I got right, which we can double down on, and there’s some clear things in that fight that I got wrong, that we can adjust.
“And I don’t think those adjustments are particularly major, either. They’re not large, they’re not big swings stylistically or [in terms of] performance of how I need to do certain things.
“I just need to taper on and taper off in certain areas.”
When asked how the fight will end, Wardley said: “Within four rounds.”
Power? What power?
18:48 , Will CastleBoth Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois have both shut down suggestions that their opponent’s power will be too much for them in tonight’s mammoth rematch.
Wardley, who “ticked the box” of knocking Dubois down (twice) in the first fight, says he was not particularly taken aback by Dubois’ haymakers, saying: “I’m not gonna disrespect the man by saying he’s not a big puncher or that I didn’t feel it. I did - I just wasn’t... that bothered by it.”
Dubois, meanwhile, was a little less respectful in his taunts at Wednesday’s press conference, declaring Wardley “punches like a baby”.
“He doesn’t have no power,” the 29-year-old Londoner said. “He punches like a baby. The knockdowns were early doors, whatever. I didn’t feel it. You just get up and keep fighting. You just plough through it.
“My mentality was to plough through and chip away and I did that. He doesn’t punch, so I’m just gonna land my punches and bring the pain. I’m gonna bash him up easy. I’ve learned what I’ve needed to learn from the first fight and I’m just ready to put it on him. I’m going to break him down and beat him up, like I’m his daddy.”
Prelims results
18:40 , Will CastleRoy Jones Jr’s protege Tony Curtis just finished the prelims off with a bang, knocking Kerim Agius unconscious with a stiff fourth-round uppercut!
Main card coming up - here are the full results from across the prelims at the O2 Arena:
Tony Curtis def. Kerim Agius via fourth-round TKO (2:57)
Zayn Ahmed def. Kasey Bradnum via first-round TKO (2:49)
Leighton Birchall def. Luis Vara Carrillo via unanimous decision (60-54)
Manny Safari def. Jake Pollard via fifth-round TKO (2:15)
Fawas Aborode def. Rashid Omar via fourth-round TKO (1:58)
Aaron Noriega def. Leonardo Baez via fourth-round TKO (1:41)
Issiah Hamilton-Allen def. Jensen Irving via unanimous decision (42-36)
BIG moment for Curtis Jr.!!
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) October 17, 2026
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Don’t let Hearn vs White distract you – Frank Warren is a true heavyweight promoter
18:36 , Steve BunceIt is a long way from Joe Bugner fighting in a hotel banquet suite in 1982 to the heavyweight championship of the world on Saturday night at the O2.
Frank Warren has made that journey with heavyweights in just about every size and shape and condition; Saturday is the third time he has made the journey to a heavyweight world-title fight this year, which is a statistic that would have been considered pure fantasy back in the Eighties.
On Saturday night, Fabio Wardley will try and regain his WBO heavyweight title from Daniel Dubois in a rematch of their savage and bloody first fight back in May; Dubois won in the 11th and survived two early knockdowns. Since that memorable night in Manchester, Warren’s young heavyweight Moses Itauma lost an IBF heavyweight-title fight at the O2 in August. It was a shocking end for Itauma, who was only 21 that night. It was just part of the heavyweight story for Warren.
Read more from Steve Bunce:
Don’t let Hearn vs White distract you – Frank Warren is a true heavyweight promoter
The Anthony Joshua 'aura' adding to Fabio Wardley's training camp
18:24 , Will CastleFabio Wardley has been feeding off the “aura” of Anthony Joshua as he looks to reclaim the WBO world heavyweight title from Daniel Dubois.
Joshua has reunited with Wardley’s trainer Ben Davison ahead of his British grudge match against Tyson Fury on 11 December and the fighters have been put through their paces together at his training facility in Harlow.
“AJ’s been back for a good while in the gym and it’s been good to see him,” the 31-year-old from Ipswich said.
“He has a different energy and a different aura around him so when he appears it gives the gym a little buzz and a different feel.
“He’s straight back in the mix and he’s shoulder to shoulder with the boys, just like you’d expect.”
Interview: The Fabio Wardley fear motivating mission for revenge against Daniel Dubois
18:12 , Will CastleAs a battered and bruised Fabio Wardley made his way to the back following his war with Daniel Dubois in May - right eye closed shut, nose splattered, the white of his Ipswich Town-themed trunks now pink - the now-former WBO world champion had one thought and one thought only: “Get me back in.”
Wardley had just been on the losing end of a firefight that he could have had in the bag inside 15 seconds. His first-round knockdown of Dubois was followed up by another two rounds later, as the 31-year-old consigned criticism of being a slow starter to the scrapheap once and for all. Alas, it was during the third round where one sharp Dubois overhand right turned the tides. A torrent of ‘Dynamite’ punishment ensued, proving his heart beyond doubt, and Wardley was eventually stopped in the 11th.
It was a brutal way to be dealt a first career loss. But Wardley didn’t want to wallow in his failure; not for a second. Asked at what point he requested the rematch, which goes down at London’s O2 Arena this Saturday, Wardley said: “Immediately. I was sat in the changing room and I think I was asking for Frank [Warren, his promoter]. I was like, ‘Someone go get Frank and tell him we're doing this again in November,’ immediately.
Read the full interview by Will Castle:
The Fabio Wardley fear that motivates his Daniel Dubois revenge mission
Daniel Dubois sets timeline to become undisputed champion
18:00 , Will CastleOn the topic of the best at heavyweight, Daniel Dubois has set himself a six-fight target to become the next undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
Asked on his timeline to becoming undisputed champion, he said: “Within six fights. That’s what I’ve got in my head anyway.”
“You need goals in boxing. You can’t just fight for nothing. So six big fights, and that’s six big, big fights. [Agit] Kabayel, all of these guys, mix it with all of them.”
Dubois reveals six-fight plan to become undisputed champion
Top 10 heavyweight fighters in boxing as Dubois and Wardley rematch before Fury vs Joshua
17:48 , Jack Rathborn, Alex Pattle & Will CastleHeavyweight boxing continues to be a compelling draw in the sport with two monster fights on the horizon as Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley rematch and Tyson Fury finally meets Anthony Joshua in the highly-anticipated bout between the two generational British fighters.
That fight, to bring an end to 2026, should set up a fascinating 2027 with a number of contenders, including newly-crowned champions Agit Kabayel and Filip Hrgovic. While super talent Moses Itauma will hope to regroup after a shock first defeat of his career.
Then there is the king of the division: Oleksandr Usyk, patiently waiting for one final payday and an attraction to showcase his exceptional skill on the way out of what has been a legendary career.
Honourable mentions should go out to Murat Gassiev, who holds the WBA regular belt, while Efe Ajagba, Justis Huni, Frank Sanchez, Bakhodir Jalolov and Deontay Wilder remain live contenders.
Here, Independent Sport glosses over the contenders and ranks the fighters on both credentials and their present ability in the ring, as the division takes shape and hurtles towards another unification bout in 2027:
The top 10 heavyweight fighters in boxing before Dubois vs Wardley 2
Fabio Wardley reveals ‘easy adjustment’ to avenge defeat
17:36 , Jack RathbornFabio Wardley insists he has an “easy adjustment” to claim revenge over Daniel Dubois tonight.
“I feel great, when you suffer a loss, it's never part of the plan,” Wardley said. “The thought of it is worse than the reality. I want to put myself in the biggest tests, I was unlikely to get through this boxing game unscathed, undefeated, leaving like Floyd Mayweather Jr, I want to be in there with the best, I picked Daniel, it was a voluntary, you want to be in there with the best guys, it puts you in jeopardy, for things to go wrong, yes, it did on the night, but I can right those wrongs.
“We know where I went wrong, it didn't take a lot for me to know where I messed up. Some areas I didn't do too well, it's part of my growing. I have only had 26 odd, 27 odd fights in total. I'm still learning. No problem, I can go back to the drawing board and make the changes.
“This feels like my natural place, the underdog, talk of it being too soon, a repeat, worse than the first time. It's an echo of all the majority fights of my career. I've been pinned as the underdog, it's comfortable, a natural place. A weight has been lifted. Moving forward, no need to be stiff, now is the fun bit.
“A level of inexperience, overzealous, overconfident in the power I have in my right hand, it's an easy adjustment, calm down, work it round by round, at pace, and not a one-track mind with the right to end it. It's something we've worked on. If somebody wants to have a war with me, I'm more than happy to oblige, 9/10 I'm the one who initiates it, things will look slightly different.”
Fabio Wardley reveals ‘easy adjustment’ to gain revenge over Daniel Dubois
Daniel Dubois has slender weight advantage with both men at career-heaviest
17:24 , Will CastleFabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois both weighed in at a career-heaviest as the British heavyweight pair faced off for the final time ahead of their world title rematch.
Both boxers took to the scales on Friday, with 29-year-old Dubois holding a slight five-pound advantage over Wardley at 253.5lbs. This was nearly two pounds heavier than he weighed for the first fight in May, which was at the time the heaviest he had ever been for a professional bout.
Both boxers took to the scales on Friday, with 29-year-old Dubois holding a slight five-pound advantage over Wardley at 253.5lbs. This was nearly two pounds heavier than he weighed for the first fight in May, which was at the time the heaviest he had ever been for a professional bout.
Here’s their final face-off after weighing in at London’s Old Spitalfields Market:
The vital change Fabio Wardley needs to claim revenge in heavyweight cracker vs Daniel Dubois
17:12 , Steve BunceThe first fight between Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois was brutal, packed with twists, cuts, knockdowns and a bloody end after 28 seconds of the eleventh round. The WBO heavyweight championship of the world was just a bonus trinket on the night.
They will do it all again on 17 October at the O2; it is one of the best possible rematches that could be made in the heavyweight division. It is the first time two British heavyweights have met in a rematch for a world title; it will also be the third fight involving British boxers for a world heavyweight championship this year to take place in Britain.
Read more from Steve Bunce:
The vital change Wardley needs to claim heavyweight revenge against Dubois
How did the first fight go?
17:00 , Will CastleFive months ago, Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley went to war with each other in an instant classic. They go at it again tonight.
Dubois was the victor in the first, climbing off the canvas twice in the early rounds to dismantle Wardley and claim the WBO heavyweight title.
Wardley was left battered and bloodied, his right almost completely shut, as he was finally stopped in the 11th round.
Alex Pattle watched it all go down at Co-op Live. Here’s what he had to say:
Fight odds
16:48 , Will CastleDubois – 1/4
Wardley – 3/1
Draw – 20/1
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Fight card in full
16:36 , Will CastleSubject to change; ‘C’ denotes champion
Daniel Dubois (C) vs Fabio Wardley (WBO heavyweight title)
Louie O’Doherty (C) vs Michael Gomez Jr (British and Commonwealth lightweight titles)
Adam Olaniyan vs Dan Garber (heavyweight)
Bakhodir Jalolov vs Solomon Dacres (heavyweight)
Nelson Birchall vs Levi Giles (super-featherweight)
Prelims
Tony Curtis vs Kerim Agius (super-flyweight)
Zayn Ahmed vs Kasey Bradnum (super-featherweight)
Leighton Birchall vs Luis Vara Carrillo (featherweight)
Manny Safari vs Jake Pollard (featherweight)
Fawas Aborode vs Rashid Omar (lightweight)
Aaron Noriega vs Leonardo Baez (super-featherweight)
Issiah Hamilton-Allen vs Jensen Irving (middleweight)
When is the fight?
16:24 , Will CastleDubois vs Wardley 2 will take place tonight, on Saturday 17 October, at the O2 Arena in London.
The main card is due to begin at 7pm BST (11am PT / 1pm CT / 2pm ET), with main-event ring walks at around 10.30pm BST (2.30pm PT / 4.30pm CT / 5.30pm ET).
How can I watch it?
The event will stream live exclusively on DAZN pay-per-view at a cost of £24.99, and on DAZN Ultimate Tier – which is priced at £24.99 per month.
You can purchase the fight or an Ultimate Tier subscription here.
Dubois vs Wardley 2 LIVE!
16:12 , Will CastleDaniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley will meet again tonight, with boxing fans expecting another chaotic classic between the British heavyweights.
In May, Dubois climbed off the canvas twice – including in the first 20 seconds – to stop Wardley on his feet as the towel came in in round 11.
With that dramatic victory in Manchester, Dubois won the WBO title, which he will defend against Wardley in this weekend’s main event in London.
Wardley had never lost as a professional before his 11th-round defeat by Dubois, so has he learned the relevant lessons to exact revenge? Or will Dubois extend his second world-title reign and close in on a unification fight?
Good afternoon
16:00 , Will CastleHello there and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of Daniel Dubois vs Fabio Wardley 2!
Stay tuned for build-up ahead of the seismic world title rematch, as well as all the action from the undercard at the O2 Arena.
