Daniel Dubois retained his WBO heavyweight belt on Saturday after defeating Fabio Wardley by a second-round stoppage at London's O2 Arena. The 29-year-old Dubois improved his professional record to 24 wins and three defeats following the victory over the 31-year-old Wardley.
Wardley, who holds a record of 20-2-1, had been promoted to WBO champion last November after Oleksandr Usyk vacated the title. This marked the second time the two fighters met, as Dubois previously defeated Wardley in the 11th round in Manchester last May.
Dubois stated, "Our back was against the wall the first time, this time we just had to go out there and show that we mean business and that's what we did tonight." The former IBF champion also noted that while Wardley is a great warrior, it was his time and era, adding that he had bad intentions from the start.
Wardley acknowledged the risks of the sport, saying, "Boxing is a game of fine margins. It can be done and over in a round or two or it can go into a big old war like it was last time." Dubois expressed his desire for a rematch to reclaim his previous title, saying, "I want to have a rematch with him, I want to get my old belt back and rule the division."
Filip Hrgovic, the current IBF champion who defeated Moses Itauma in August, has already challenged Dubois for both belts. Hrgovic commented on the result, saying, "It was an easy night for Daniel. He did a good job, quick win. So he's ready to fight me in March, right Daniel?"
