Daniel Dubois will make the first defence of his WBO world title against Fabio Wardley at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday, five months after their dramatic first meeting.
Dubois, 29, recovered from two knockdowns to stop Ipswich’s Wardley, 31, in the 11th round in Manchester in May. Wardley’s defeat was the first of his professional career, but he immediately activated his rematch clause.
With 41 knockouts between them in 43 victories, another damaging contest is expected. BBC Sport asked figures from across boxing whether Dubois will repeat his success or Wardley can become a two-time world champion.
Former super-featherweight world champion Barry Jones believes Dubois will win again, potentially inside five rounds. He said Dubois remained composed after being floored twice, while Wardley’s power meant he could still produce a knockout at any stage.
DAZN presenter Ade Oladipo also backed Dubois to stop Wardley, arguing that the champion’s strength, aggression and confidence would prove decisive. He described Dubois as the world’s number one heavyweight behind Oleksandr Usyk, with Wardley among the top five.
British heavyweight Johnny Fisher predicted another Dubois victory, while Richard Riakporhe was the first to favour Wardley. The British heavyweight champion gave the challenger a 60-40 chance, citing his resilience, work rate and ability to survive difficult moments.
Liam Gough, boxing content creator and BBC Sounds’ Punch Perfect host, expected Dubois to apply immediate pressure. He said the champion’s jab and broader range of options would prevent Wardley from settling and could make the contest explosive from the opening exchanges.
Former two-weight world champion Carl Frampton also selected Dubois, forecasting a stoppage between rounds seven and 10. He questioned whether Wardley had fully recovered from the punishment suffered in the first bout and said the challenger’s nose could again become a target.
Emily Eubank, another BBC Sounds’ Punch Perfect host, said she hoped Wardley could force a trilogy but expected Dubois to be more controlled and confident before winning more quickly than in May.
Former middleweight world champion Darren Barker described the rematch as another fight in which viewers should not blink. He favoured Dubois because of his jab, experience and renewed self-belief, although he refused to completely rule out Wardley.
Former UFC fighter Michael ‘Venom’ Page said Wardley had relied too heavily on the punch that landed early in the first fight. He felt Wardley could win by making small tactical changes, but ultimately backed Dubois because of the champion’s power and ability to adapt while hurt.
Jeamie TKV, who shares a gym with Wardley, admitted his prediction was biased but said Wardley had the ability to turn the result around. Paul Smith expected Wardley to start quickly, yet predicted Dubois would withstand the early attack and win in the middle to late rounds.
Journalist and broadcaster Nick Peet also chose Dubois by technical knockout, possibly earlier than last time. He said Dubois was more mobile than often recognised and had gained valuable experience from the first contest.
DAZN commentator Adam Smith called the result a 50-50 contest, despite expecting a knockout. Former cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellew was the clearest Wardley supporter, predicting he would win by knockout inside six rounds.
