Everything to Know About Dubois vs Wardley 2 Heavyweight Rematch

Dubois and Wardley Face Off Again at the O2 Arena

Daniel Dubois will defend his WBO heavyweight title against Fabio Wardley in a rematch set for Saturday at London's O2 Arena. Their first fight, just five months ago in Manchester, was among the year's most thrilling bouts.

Dubois, 29, from London, overcame two knockdowns before stopping Wardley in round 11, claiming his second world championship. Wardley, 31, from Ipswich, faced his first career loss but promptly exercised his rematch clause. Now, the question is whether Dubois can repeat his victory or if Wardley will complete the comeback after nearly pulling it off last time.

How to Follow the Fight Live on BBC

Live text updates begin at 21:00 BST on Saturday, October 17 via the BBC Sport website and app. Radio commentary from London also starts at 21:00 on 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds, with main event coverage on BBC Radio 5 Live at 22:00.

Stacey Copeland hosts the broadcast, alongside lead commentator Ronald McIntosh, with co-commentary from Steve Bunce and former super-middleweight world champ Richie Woodhall. A live watch-along will be available on BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and app, as well as BBC Sport's YouTube and TikTok channels. Contributors like broadcaster Nick Peet, British heavyweight champ Richard Riakporhe, and BBC Sounds hosts Emily Smith and Liam Gough will provide ongoing reactions and analysis.

Expected Ringwalk Time

The fighters are expected to enter the ring after 22:30 BST, though exact timing is still subject to change.

Fight Card Details

• Main card:
• Daniel Dubois vs Fabio Wardley - WBO heavyweight title
• Louie O Doherty vs Michael Gomez Jr - British and Commonwealth lightweight titles
• Bakhodir Jalolov vs Solomon Dacres - heavyweight
• Tony Curtis vs Kerim Agius - super-flyweight
• Leighton Birchall vs Luis Vara Carrillo - featherweight

• Preliminary fights:
• Fawas Aborode vs Rashid Omar - lightweight
• Manny Safari vs Jake Pollard - featherweight
• Adam Olaniyan vs TBA - heavyweight
• Aaron Noriega vs TBA - super-featherweight
• Zayn Ahmed vs Kasey Bradnum - super-featherweight
• Issiah Hamilton-Allen vs Jensen Irving - middleweight

Fight Week Schedule (BST)

• Wednesday: Open workouts at 17:00
• Thursday: News conference at 12:30
• Friday: Weigh-in at 18:00

Comparing Dubois and Wardley’s Records

The two heavyweights are closely matched physically and both pack serious power. Dubois holds 23 wins in 26 fights, 22 by knockout, while Wardley stands at 20 wins, one loss, and one draw, with 19 knockouts. Combined, 41 of their 43 victories ended inside the distance.

Dubois brings more experience at elite levels, having fought twice against Oleksandr Usyk and faced names like Anthony Joshua, Filip Hrgovic, and Joe Joyce. Wardley’s journey is less traditional, coming from unlicensed white-collar bouts and recruitment work before rising fast with stoppage wins over Justis Huni and ex-world champion Joseph Parker.

Title on the Line

The WBO world heavyweight title is up for grabs across 12 rounds of three minutes each. This will be Dubois' first defense of his second reign as world champion. Previously, he lost the IBF heavyweight belt to Usyk in July 2025.

Wardley had become WBO champion after being interim titleholder but dropped the belt in his first defense to Dubois. Currently, the WBO title is among four major heavyweight belts, held by different fighters: Dubois (WBO), Agit Kabayel (WBC), Filip Hrgovic (IBF), and Murat Gassiev (WBA).

Recap of Their First Encounter

Their initial clash at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena featured intense action—knockdowns, shifting momentum, and a strong comeback. Wardley stunned early by knocking Dubois down twice, but Dubois recovered and stopped Wardley in round 11.

Wardley fought through a badly damaged nose and a swollen shut eye, with ringside doctors checking him multiple times. By round 10, his condition worsened, sparking calls to stop the fight earlier for safety.

"Wardley was the bravest man I’d ever seen," said former world champ Carl Frampton, who also felt the referee or corner should have stopped it sooner. Darren Barker echoed concerns about protecting Wardley.

Statistically, Dubois landed 179 punches compared to Wardley’s 97, including 87 power shots to Wardley’s 40. Both men earned respect—Wardley for his grit, Dubois for showing toughness previously questioned.

Future Possibilities After This Fight

The heavyweight scene may shift dramatically before year-end. Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are set to meet at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium in December, possibly contesting a controversial WBA super heavyweight title. Murat Gassiev remains the official WBA heavyweight champion and his team objects to crowning another in that division.

The winner between Dubois and Wardley could enter 2027 with several big opportunities. For Dubois, a second win would settle his rivalry at 2-0 and mark a solid defense of his second world title reign. At 29, beating Joshua, Hrgovic, and Wardley twice would give him a strong record among top heavyweights.

Unification fights against Kabayel or Hrgovic could be next targets, while a showdown with the Fury-Joshua winner might happen depending on how the WBA title situation unfolds.

Wardley’s victory would regain the title, avenge his only loss, and put him in line for unification bouts. A second loss would mean rebuilding before another shot at a world title. If Dubois loses, the rivalry would be tied 1-1, likely sparking talks for a trilogy.