Fabio Wardley, as he prepares to rematch Daniel Dubois, insists that he is making the necessary adjustments to gain revenge over the man who left him a bruised and bloody mess in May.
Dubois got up from two early knockdowns to hammer the resistance from Wardley in a violent slugfest. By the end, though courageous, the defending WBO heavyweight titlist had taken a frightful beating.
Yet Wardley opted to trigger his rematch clause and, given how competitive the contest was in the first half, there is plenty of interest in the sequel.
Some observers – including Oleksandr Usyk – championed Wardley’s bravery but questioned his technique.
“You never jab,” Usyk said. “Only right hand.”
Wardley, 20-1-1 (19 KOs), heard what Usyk said and, though he promises to be better, he concedes there’s only so much better he can get.
“With all [Usyk’s] done and all he’s achieved with his background, you can’t dismiss what he’s saying,” Wardley told DAZN.
“But, also, I’m not him. I haven’t had the schooling he’s had, the background he’s had, the timing that he’s had.
“Mr Usyk, I’m working on my jab. I promise. I will try and do better for you.”
The first bout took place in Manchester whereas the return is set for the O2 in London. Both men have history there. Dubois claimed English and British titles there, against Tom Little and Nathan Gorman in 2018 and 2019 respectively.
Wardley, however, can boast seven victories in the arena, most recently when upsetting Joseph Parker in 11 rounds in October last year. He was also held to a draw there in March 2024 by Frazer Clarke before winning the rematch inside one round seven months later.
“The O2 is like a home away from home for me,” said the 31-year-old. “I’m looking forward to getting back to it. It’s going to be revenge.”
“Adjustments need to be made — I have done it before against Frazer Clarke… I’ve proven I can change.”
