Fabio Wardley says he, Dubois and Itauma are boxing’s next heavyweight stars

Fabio Wardley says, with a smile, that he expects the bout to finish in a knockout as he prepares for his risky first defence of the WBO world heavyweight title against Daniel Dubois in Manchester on Saturday night. The fight’s promotional slogan, “Don’t Blink”, suits a clash of two powerful yet fragile heavyweights and, for once, feels less like boxing hype and more like sensible advice for anyone watching what could be the year’s most dramatic heavyweight showdown.

Both Wardley and Dubois are heavy hitters who also frequently appear vulnerable. Dubois has lost three of his twenty‑five fights while disposing of the rest with brutal efficiency. Two years ago, the then‑unbeaten Wardley came close to defeat against Frazer Clarke in their initial encounter, which ended in a draw after a bloody battle for both men. He stopped Clarke after two savage minutes in the rematch, then dropped every round to Justis Huni before delivering a chilling late stoppage against the skilful Australian in June last year.

A former white‑collar boxer with little amateur background, Wardley consistently finds a way to win. His most notable triumph, over the highly experienced Joseph Parker last October, earned him the WBO crown, and he is confident his hand will be raised again after another tough test this weekend.

“Whether that knockout arrives early, as it has before, or later, as it has also happened before, who knows?” Wardley adds. “It hinges on whether Daniel chooses to meet me head‑on or stays on the back foot, keeping his distance. We’ll see how he shapes up.”

Wardley will soon display the articulate and thoughtful persona that has made him a rising voice in boxing commentary, analysing the shifting heavyweight landscape exemplified by Moses Itauma and himself offering a fresh alternative to the increasingly stale narrative surrounding Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. He will also voice his growing worries about doping, but first he examines Dubois’ psychological frailties.

Wardley has hinted he will open with a firefight to put his often‑complex opponent under immediate pressure. “Yes,” he says, “but it’s really a disregard for him because I intend to make Daniel focus on me, not the other way round. I’ll be on the front foot, pressing the action, and he will be forced to question himself. Whatever effect that has on him over the course of the fight, let it unfold.”

Dubois was wrongly accused of quitting after sustaining a grotesque broken eye socket against Joe Joyce in 2020. Yet there were more troubling concerns about his willingness to endure punishment when he lost the first of two meetings with Oleksandr Usyk. “It’s a matter of character,” Wardley remarks. “I can only judge how I would approach a fight myself, and that’s no”.