A UK-only duel is about to be finalized: Fabio Wardley is to defend his WBO crown against former IBF champion Daniel Dubois in Manchester on May 9.
Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois are apparently close to finalizing their WBO World Heavyweight Championship fight. The date is set for May 9 in Manchester. Several media outlets are reporting that both sides are finalizing the last details.
It would be Wardley’s first title defense since he was promoted from interim to full WBO champion following Oleksandr Usyk’s retirement. Wardley goes into the year with a tailwind: in 2025, he first delivered a comeback including a knockout in round ten against Justis Huni, followed by the biggest win of his career to date – a TKO in round eleven against former world champion Joseph Parker.
As a former title holder, Dubois comes with the clear aim of immediately climbing back to the top. The 28-year-old most recently lost prematurely in the Undisputed duel against Usyk – a knockout in round five in the world title blockbuster at Wembley Stadium. However, Dubois is red hot in his prime: his statement win was a TKO over Anthony Joshua at Wembley, plus stoppages against Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic.
Text by Robin Josten