Fabio Wardley wants the biggest fights. Daniel Dubois wants redemption.
The British heavyweights square off Saturday in Manchester with Wardley鈥檚 WBO title on the line in a risky bout for both men.
Wardley (20-0-1, 19 KOs) inherited the belt when vacated it last November. The 31-year-old Ipswich native had options for easier opponents in his first title defense but chose Dubois.
Dubois (22-3, 21 KOs) is trying to become a two-time world champion. He lost his IBF belt to Usyk via at Wembley Stadium last July. Dubois hasn鈥檛 fought since then and could lose some relevancy with another defeat. The upside, of course, is winning another belt.
Both men have serious power, and their respective fights rarely go the distance.
Wardley broke Frazer Clarke鈥檚 left cheekbone in a first-round knockout in October 2024. That was a few weeks after by knocking out former two-time champion .
Actual trash talk
Wardley caused a minor stir 鈥� and some brief reflection about the value of working-class jobs 鈥� last week when he was asked what job the 28-year-old Dubois would have if he wasn鈥檛 a boxer.
Wardley responded that Dubois might be a 鈥渂in man or something like that,鈥� using the British phrase for . It was a light-hearted segment in which he also said Tyson Fury鈥檚 job would be summer holiday children鈥檚 entertainer.
鈥淒isrespect. We鈥檒l address that in the ring,鈥� Dubois responded. His trainer, Don Charles, said the comment was 鈥渜uite condescending.鈥�
Asked about the fallout, Wardley told his promoter Queensberry鈥檚 in-house media: 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 say it was a bad job, or it was something bad for him. … I didn鈥檛 say a word negative about it.鈥�
Different paths
Dubois and Wardley made their pro debuts on the same day: April 8, 2017 鈥� Dubois in Manchester, Wardley in London.
Dubois came up through the traditional amateur ranks before turning pro. Wardley got his start in 鈥渨hite collar boxing鈥� 鈥� legal but largely unregulated events 鈥� and not until age 20.
London native Dubois has faced higher-caliber opponents: Two of his three losses were to Usyk. His first pro loss was in 2020 when he took a knee in the 10th round against Joe Joyce because of a fractured eye socket.
Wardley, who has sparred with Usyk, last fought in October when he stopped in the 11th round. That victory followed a 10th-round knockout of Australia鈥檚 Justis Huni, who was well ahead on points at Portman Road 鈥� home of Wardley鈥檚 beloved Ipswich soccer club.
What will happen?
Oddsmakers have Wardley as the slight favorite. Few observers see the bout going the full 12 rounds.
Shane McGuigan, Dubois鈥� former trainer, told Sky Sports that Dubois is the technically superior boxer but 鈥渉e will not listen鈥� to instructions. If Dubois is patient and relies on his powerful jab 鈥渉e wins the fight” comfortably.
鈥淏ut he will not 鈥� and he will go straight for him. That will mean he鈥檒l either knock him out or get knocked out,鈥� said McGuigan, who trains Dubois鈥� younger sister Caroline 鈥� herself a .
Others note that Wardley鈥檚 habit of keeping his lead left hand low exposes him defensively. They are similar in height and weight: both 6-foot-5 and around 240 lbs (1.96 meters and 110 kilos).
The main event at the Co-op Live indoor arena is expected to start by 11 p.m. local time (2200 GMT, 6 p.m. ET) on DAZN pay per view.
Moses Itauma up next?
Saturday鈥檚 winner could be on a collision course with rising star Moses Itauma.
WBO president Gustavo Olivieri said after he鈥檒l recommend the 21-year-old British southpaw become the WBO mandatory challenger.
That would pose a problem for Wardley and Itauma, however, as both are trained by Ben Davison.
Wardley likely would prefer to challenge Usyk, who holds the WBA, WBC and IBF belts. The 39-year-old Ukrainian鈥檚 next bout is an unusual one 鈥� on May 23 at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.
Meanwhile, Fury and Joshua are .
___
AP boxing:
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
