Wardley gearing up to defend title against Dubois

Fabio Wardley is preparing to make his first WBO heavyweight title defence against Daniel Dubois in May. 

The all-British clash pits Wardley, with a 20-0-1 record and 19 KOs, against Dubois, with a 22-3 mark and 21 KOs. 

An official announcement of the fight is expected later this week, with May 9 being the possible fight date.

Wardley earned the belt after Oleksandr Usyk vacated it, following Wardley’s elevation from interim champion status. 

His breakthrough 2025 included a 10th-round KO of Justis Huni in June and an 11th-round TKO over former titleholder Joseph Parker in October, performances that positioned him as a Fighter of the Year finalist. 

Dubois seeks to become a two-time champion after losing the IBF strap to Usyk via fifth-round KO in June 2025 at Wembley Stadium. 

He previously captured that belt after Usyk dropped it in his first reign as undisputed champion, and defended it by stopping Anthony Joshua in the fifth round in September 2024. 

Reunited with trainer Don Charles, Dubois looks prepared to return to victory mode after suffering his third professional loss in his last fight.

Both fighters seem evenly up to the task. Wardley is not only putting his title on the line, but also has his record to uphold. 

With an unbeaten streak from 21 fights, May’s fixture could see him improve his resume or blemish his record, while also losing his status as champion. 

For Dubois, his July loss against Usyk stung,0 and after spending all these months away from the ring, he finally looks ready to deal some real damage. 

His professional career has seen him go against some heavy hitters and come away successful; the fight with Wardley should not be any different if all goes to plan. 

The camp of both men are working to finalise the details and bring the match to life. At the moment, the only piece of detail around the fight is that it could hold in Manhester, England, with more information expected when it is officially announced.