Daniel Dubois vs. Fabio Wardley 2 Final Presser!
(October 15th) Reigning WBO heavyweight world champion Daniel "Dynamite" Dubois (23-3, 22 KOs) and former champion Fabio Wardley (20-1-1, 19 KOs) exchanged confident predictions at Thursday's final press conference ahead of their eagerly anticipated 12-round championship rematch this Saturday, October 17, at London's O2 Arena.
Five months after their brutal first encounter, in which Dubois survived two early knockdowns before stopping Wardley in the 11th round, the British knockout specialists are preparing to settle their unfinished business.
Dubois, who captured the WBO crown with his dramatic comeback victory, appeared relaxed but determined to repeat his success.
"Feeling stronger, feeling, you know, just grounded and ready to go out there and do my job," said Dubois. "Get through this and do bigger and better things."
The defending champion emphasized that he is approaching the rematch with the same seriousness as any other championship assignment.
"I take every fight serious, every challenge 100%," Dubois stated. "I'm just zoned in to go out there and perform."
Asked about the possibility of another punishing battle, Dubois offered a straightforward response.
"I'm ready to go out there and go to war. I'm locked in."
Wardley, meanwhile, insisted that his first professional defeat has only strengthened his determination to reclaim the heavyweight championship.
"Surprisingly, I feel great," Wardley explained. "It's one of those things, especially when you suffer a loss, it's never part of the plan. It's never what you want. But I think the thought of it is actually worse than the reality."
The former champion acknowledged that his aggressive approach contributed to his downfall in their first meeting.
"We as a team know where I went wrong. Me especially," Wardley admitted. "There were some great areas in there where I had a huge amount of success, but also some areas I didn't do too well on."
Wardley believes that a more disciplined approach will produce a different outcome.
"That's a level of inexperience, a level of becoming overzealous in the fight, overconfident with myself and the power I have and my right hand," he explained.
The Ipswich heavyweight also welcomed his return to the familiar role of underdog.
"This feels like more my natural place, the underdog," Wardley said. "I've always been pinned as the underdog, as the fight is the step too far. So all of a sudden I feel in a really comfy place, a really natural place."
Despite promising a more calculated performance, Wardley made it clear that he remains willing to engage in another heavyweight slugfest.
"Going back to that place is the easy bit," he declared. "The area we're paying more attention to is having control on that. A more tactical, a more strategic approach to things."
Wardley concluded with an emphatic prediction.
"Adjustments will be made, a more clinical performance will be done, and I will capitalize on the moments I had earlier on in the fight the first time around."
"There's no way this time once I sniff blood, he's gone. He's getting out of there."
Dubois' trainer Don Charles, whose corner instructions helped inspire his fighter's dramatic comeback in May, expressed complete confidence in the defending champion.
"Actions speak louder than words," Charles declared. "We've trained diligently. We've identified and rectified the mistakes that we made during the last encounter."
Charles promised that Dubois would deliver an even more impressive performance.
"Tune in, watch, we will deliver. Guess what? With interest."
Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren, who described their first encounter as one of the most thrilling heavyweight contests of his promotional career, expects another explosive confrontation.
"It'll be bombs away soon as that bell rings," Warren predicted. "I just don't see it going the distance at all."
Warren also emphasized the importance of the contest to the heavyweight division, suggesting that the winner could move toward major unification opportunities in 2027.
With both camps predicting an early knockout, 41 combined stoppage victories, and the WBO heavyweight championship at stake, Saturday's rematch promises another dramatic collision between two of Britain's most dangerous punchers.
Dubois seeks to prove his first victory was no accident. Wardley is determined to prove that redemption is only one punch away.
The final word belonged to the defending champion.
"I'm ready to rumble. So let's go to war."
Daniel Dubois vs. Fabio Wardley II takes place Saturday, October 17, at London's O2 Arena, promoted by Frank Warren's Queensberry Promotions and broadcast live worldwide on DAZN.
Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley will renew their heavyweight rivalry on Saturday, October 17, when they meet for the second time with the WBO World Heavyweight Championship on the line at The O2 in London. Promoted by Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, the highly anticipated rematch will see reigning champion Dubois defend the title against Wardley, who exercised his contractual rematch clause following their dramatic first encounter in Manchester earlier this year.
The return bout comes less than six months after one of the most memorable heavyweight contests of 2026. Dubois and Wardley first met on May 9 at Co-op Live in Manchester, where Wardley produced a sensational start and twice put Dubois on the canvas. The first knockdown came in the opening round, with Wardley immediately demonstrating the explosive power that had carried him through an unbeaten professional career. He struck again in the third round, sending Dubois down on one knee and appearing to have seized control of the contest.
Dubois, however, refused to allow the early setbacks to determine the outcome. The London heavyweight regrouped, settled into his boxing, and gradually turned the fight in his favor. As the middle rounds unfolded, Dubois began landing with greater consistency and authority, applying pressure and forcing Wardley into increasingly difficult exchanges. What began as a fast and furious contest increasingly became a test of durability, composure and physical strength.
Wardley continued to fight back despite absorbing considerable punishment. His face became visibly marked as Dubois' sustained attack began to take its toll, but the challenger remained dangerous and refused to surrender. Dubois continued pressing forward into the championship rounds, steadily breaking down his opponent until referee Howard Foster intervened 28 seconds into the 11th round, awarding Dubois a technical knockout victory.
The victory earned Dubois the WBO heavyweight championship and made him a two-time heavyweight world champion. It also handed Wardley the first defeat of his professional career. Following the contest, Wardley exercised the contractual rematch clause, giving the former champion an immediate opportunity to reclaim the belt and avenge the only loss on his professional record.
Queensberry subsequently confirmed that the rematch would take place later in 2026, with the promotion ultimately setting October 17 as the date and The O2 as the venue. The first fight had already established the rivalry as one of the most compelling matchups in the heavyweight division, and the circumstances surrounding the rematch have only intensified the anticipation.
For Dubois, the assignment is to prove that his comeback victory in Manchester was not a one-off performance. The champion demonstrated tremendous resilience by surviving two knockdowns before taking command of the fight, and he will now attempt to make the necessary adjustments to avoid allowing Wardley the same opportunities in the opening rounds. Dubois enters the rematch with the confidence of having already weathered Wardley's most dangerous attack and ultimately stopped him.
Wardley, meanwhile, returns with the clearest possible objective: win back the WBO championship. His performance in the opening rounds of the first fight demonstrated that he possesses the power to seriously hurt Dubois, but he was unable to maintain that early momentum as the contest progressed. The rematch gives Wardley the opportunity to apply the lessons learned from his first professional defeat and produce a different result on the biggest stage of his career.
The first meeting also established a fascinating tactical question for the return. Wardley proved that he can hurt Dubois early, while Dubois demonstrated that he can absorb Wardley's best shots and gradually impose himself as the fight develops. Whether Wardley can sustain his early explosiveness over a longer period or Dubois can once again survive the danger and take control will be central to the outcome of the championship rematch.
The setting adds another layer to the occasion. The O2 has hosted some of British boxing's biggest nights and will provide the backdrop for a heavyweight world championship fight between two of the country's leading heavyweights. With Dubois defending his title and Wardley attempting to reclaim it, the stakes could hardly be higher.
The event's “Run It Back” branding reflects the unfinished business between the two fighters, while the description of the first contest as a Fight of the Year contender has helped fuel expectations for another explosive encounter. Unlike their first meeting, however, both men now know exactly what the other is capable of. Dubois knows he can be dropped by Wardley's power, while Wardley knows firsthand the punishment and sustained pressure the champion can bring once he finds his rhythm.
Dubois enters the rematch with a professional record of 23-3 with 22 knockouts, while Wardley is 20-1-1 with 19 knockouts. Their records underline the defining characteristic of this rivalry: neither man is accustomed to fighting without the threat of a decisive finish.
On October 17, that power will once again be placed on the line, this time with the WBO World Heavyweight Championship at stake. Dubois will seek to defend the crown he won in Manchester and establish himself as the division's champion, while Wardley will attempt to turn a devastating first defeat into a career-defining comeback.
The first fight produced knockdowns, momentum swings, sustained punishment and an 11th-round stoppage. The rematch promises another chapter in a rivalry that has already delivered one of the year's most dramatic heavyweight battles.
Daniel Dubois vs Fabio Wardley 2
Fight Week
WBO World Heavyweight Championship Media Workout!
(October 15th) Take a look in on the London, Daniel Dubois vs Fabio Wardley II fight week media workout ahead of their Saturday WBO World Heavyweight Championship main event.
Dubois Promises Capital Punishment!
By Queensberry Promotions
(October 6th) Daniel Dubois has revealed that he first realised he had the beating of Fabio Wardley while he was steadying himself after being put the canvas in the opening seconds of their original encounter in May up in Manchester.
Dubois headed home with the WBO world heavyweight title that was previously under the ownership of Wardley, which made him a two-time world champion and one of the major players in the division.
Now the pair are set to deliver a sequel to the thriller, this time in London at The o2 on October 17, where this time Dubois holds the distinction of coming into the fight as champion.
“Straight away I knew,” said the 29-year-old on when victory became a reality in his own mind. “When I went down and got back up again, it was like something cleared and I was ready to go again.
“Yeah it was a war and I’ve got to thank him for sharing the ring and doing the rounds with him.
“It was an experience I needed and I was shaking off some cobwebs, I think.”
While Dubois was full of praise for his stricken opponent in the moments following his triumph, the whispering of sweet nothings into the ear of Wardley ended there and then in the immediate aftermath of the heavyweight spectacular.
Now, typically, Dubois is all business as usual and kind words can wait.
“He is just someone I’ve got to smash up again,” added the ruthless Londoner. “It was a nightmare for him last time and I am going to make it even bloodier for him this time. I will be more clinical this time.
“That is how I feel towards him.”
Wardley, however, has gone on the record as describing the Dubois punching power as not as devastating as he imagined it would be.
Dubois sort of agrees, but plans on changing his mind this time around.
“We were chipping away I think with no clean, concussive punches thrown from me,” he recalled. “This time I will get the right shots working and have the right intentions behind my punches.
“First of all it will be a win, but I want to show you guys this time,” he added by way of a prediction. “People know what to expect, so I will show you all what I am about.
“A win, a blazing performance and total domination from me again where I will put a few things right.”
And if he does just that there will be a short queue of fellow world champions ready to fight it out for unified and ultimately undisputed status.
Dubois, along with WBC champion Agit Kabayel, were at The O2 to witness Filip Hrgovic outlast Moses Itauma recently. The only defeat suffered by Hrgovic came against Dubois.
“That is what the future is now. Who has got the belts and who is going to be the last man standing. I might potentially fight him again, so it was good to take a look at him first hand and see how that fight played out.
“First things first because I have got to deal with this guy, but I will go through them as well.”
Daniel Dubois vs Fabio Wardley
Run It Back Launch Presser!
(September 2nd) Run It Back - Repeat or Revenge? Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley are set to run back one of heavyweight boxing’s most punishing recent battles when they meet again at London’s O2 on October 17. After Dubois battled off the canvas twice to stop Wardley in their first encounter, the rematch launch press conference made one thing clear: both men expect a far more decisive and violent finish this time.
Queensberry Promotions officially launched Daniel Dubois vs. Fabio Wardley II, with WBO heavyweight champion Dubois defending against former titleholder Wardley in a rematch built on the drama of their first fight. Promoter Frank Warren called the initial meeting “one of the best live heavyweight fights” he has seen and predicted the sequel would be even more electric, describing the matchup as “bombs away” between two confident, heavy-handed British heavyweights.
Daniel Dubois
What did becoming a two-time heavyweight champion mean after having to recover from two early knockdowns?
“Accomplish mission accomplished … knock off some cobwebs really. I was coming off a defeat last time, so I was a bit nervous and stuff. So, yeah, it was just a fresh start for me now. I feel even better, smoother training camp this time and, yeah, I’ll be ready for war.”
What got you through the difficult early stages of the first fight?
“The team around that I got around me and … the willing, relentless pursuit and pressure that I applied. We chipped away at him. That was really the game plan last time, to just chip away, and we got the victory in the end.”
Do you believe the rematch will end sooner?
“I’ve got to put things right next … be sharp, more precise, and take him out in style this time. Just raise my level now, raise my game and break him down again.”
Will you make adjustments for Wardley in the rematch?
“You’re going to see on the night. There’s no—he can’t do anything different. He can’t change his style. He’ll come out, he’ll try hard again, but I’ll have an answer for him.”
Do you expect a knockout in the rematch?
“Yes. I’ve got to break him down and beat him up. I did it last time. I’m going to do it again. Better start.”
What would another victory do for your long-term heavyweight ambitions?
“I want to get into that league Frank’s talking about—the last man standing—and I want to be the last man standing and be up there with the greats.”
Fabio Wardley
How did you reflect on the first defeat of your career?
“Of course there was mixed emotions. Taking a loss is never fun. It’s never the objective. It’s never what I want. But there was a lot to look at from that performance to be proud of, to go home with, to reflect on. The performance in and of itself, I was proud of, but obviously the loss as a whole, no—there’s some things we need to adjust and change and sort out.”
Why were you unable to finish Dubois after scoring two early knockdowns?
“I felt a bit too comfortable maybe with the really early knockdown, then followed by another one in the third. I kind of really relaxed into the fight and thought, ‘This is near on a foregone conclusion.’”
What specifically went wrong after the knockdowns?
“I was a victim of my own success in them early stages. I just got trigger happy, got carried away with just 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. I should have put my foot down, applied the pressure, and got him out of there.”
Is the quick rematch too soon following the damage sustained in the first fight?
“I had absolutely zero excuses for the loss on the night and I have absolutely zero excuses going into the rematch. I triggered the rematch clause as soon as I could, and I was ready to go as soon as we could find a venue and put everything together again.”
Is the blueprint simply to hurt Dubois early again?
“I don’t think it’s as simple as either hurt him early or hurt him late. It’s just get him hurt basically and then follow up. Whether that comes early or late is a different story.”
What is the key adjustment you must make?
“The plan is to go about things in the right way, get him hurt, and follow up on that—the right actions, the areas that I lacked in the previous fight, that follow-up and that kind of finishing-the-job kind of thing.”
What would a win over Dubois mean to you?
“It’s just another chapter in the story that is my career. By no means did I expect to get through boxing unscathed. Not many do survive this sport, especially heavyweight boxing, without a loss, without a stumble along the way.”
What happens on October 17?
“It didn’t go my way, but this time it will. I’m great at making adjustments. I’m great at improving in the short space of my whole career … I’ll do all those things in this camp and I’ll come through on top on the night with a knockout.”
Frank Warren
Why was the first Dubois-Wardley fight so compelling—and why can the rematch be better?
“Styles make fights. These two guys were made to make a big fight and a great fight. They’re both big punchers. They both come forward. They’ve both got self-belief. They’ve both got massive, massive power.”
What do you expect in the second fight?
“They both know each other. They shared the ring. They know what they feel their strengths are and their weaknesses. They’ll be trying to exploit them. But you’re just going to get bombs away. That’s how they are.”
Was the rematch rushed?
“It wasn’t in my hands. There was a rematch clause, and the man to my left wanted the rematch. They called for the rematch and wanted it as soon as possible. So that’s why we’re here.”
What comes next for the winner and Queensberry’s heavyweight stable?
“We’ll be looking to try and work hard to make the unifications. Let’s find out who’s the best out of all these guys. That’s what our plan is.”
What is Queensberry trying to build in the division?
“They’re fighting regularly. They’re out, they’re fighting big, big fights and we’re selling out. This will be another sellout. It’s a foregone conclusion that the people are going to be entertained.”
How significant is this era for heavyweight boxing?
“Fight after fight, heavyweight fight after heavyweight fight. It’s excitement. It’s the blue-ribbon division, the punchers. Come next year, the last man standing out of all this will be the most famous man on the planet.”
Queensberry, time and time again, delivers a debut to a champion journey for richly talented young fighters and provides an unrivalled platform for them to showcase their ability to the widest possible audience via a major broadcast collaboration and an exceptional digital portfolio.
Fight promotions are regularly staged, servicing the requirements of novice prospects, contenders, title challengers and champions. Boxers are given every opportunity to build a following and maximize their potential.
The wall facing the entrance to the Queensberry headquarters bears the words ‘This is where the magic happens’ because, for decades, it has been the location where the biggest fights have been hatched and matched, where the biggest shows have been plotted and where the best fighters arrive to sign promotional terms for Frank Warren to guide their careers.
It is always about the fighters - with the key being development - but also about the sport, the business of boxing and conjuring up magical nights for the fans and making the fights they want to see.
The experience of Queensberry and the tried and trusted model for creating champions is unparalleled in the sport of boxing. The expertise of International Hall of Fame Promoter Frank Warren has been employed for some 45 years in the professional ranks building some of the biggest stars and navigating them to world champion status.
Frank specializes in taking young fighters right from debut and implementing his knowhow to pick the right fights at the right time and therefore ensuring the boxer is given every opportunity to maximize his or her potential.
Queensberry is currently in the position of being the world’s premier promotional organization, having spent many years building talent and putting in the foundations to ensure prolonged success. The company currently boasts a number of world champions, multiple world title contenders, numerous title-holders and the finest crop of young future stars anywhere in the world.
Queensberry fighters have been given the opportunity to shine on the major global stage both at home and abroad, under the Queensberry banner.
About Frank Warren
In an era spanning over 35 years, Hall of Fame boxing Promoter and Manager Frank Warren has worked with some of the biggest fighters in boxing history. Hamed, Bruno, Tyson, Calzaghe, Benn, Collins, Eubank, Khan and Hatton are some of the iconic names he has promoted during his career.
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