Daniel Dubois steamrolls Fabio Wardley in rematch

The British champion defended his WBO belt at The O2 Arena with a swift knockout.

Daniel Dubois left no doubt in the ring once again, blowing away Fabio Wardley via a second-round technical knockout to defend his WBO heavyweight world title. The headliner at London's O2 Arena on October 17, 2026, delivered a swift and devastating statement from the reigning champion.

Unlike their epic first encounter, where Dubois climbed off the canvas twice before securing an 11th-round stoppage, the 29-year-old Londoner took complete control right from the opening bell. Early in the first round, Dubois landed a stiff jab followed by a thudding right hook that wobbled Wardley and sent him crashing to the floor. The Ipswich challenger beat the count, but Dubois kept pouring on the pressure with fierce combinations until the bell.

Wardley attempted to fire back in the second round, but Dubois controlled the distance expertly and found the target again with a crisp one-two combination. Following another punishing barrage, Wardley's corner threw in the towel to spare their fighter from further damage. Referee Steve Gray officially stopped the contest at 2:21 of round two.

With this victory, Dubois improved his professional record to 24-3, with 23 wins coming inside the distance. In his post-fight interview, he hailed Wardley as a "great warrior" but declared: "This is my time and my era now."

Wardley, who dropped to 20-2-1 with only the second defeat of his career, admitted he failed to execute his tactical game plan on the night.