Dubois v Wardley 2 - heavyweight title fight predictions — SkimNews
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- Daniel Dubois (29) makes the first defence of his WBO world heavyweight title against Fabio Wardley (31) at London's O2 Arena on Saturday, five months after their Manchester bout.
- Dubois was knocked down twice before stopping Wardley in the 11th round in May; Wardley immediately activated his rematch clause, though the pair share 41 knockouts across 43 combined professional victories.
- Of 14 boxing figures consulted by BBC Sport, 10 picked Dubois to win again — including former world champions Carl Frampton, Darren Barker, Emily Eubank, and DAZN's Adam Smith split 50-50 — while Richard Riakporhe, Jeamie TKV, and Tony Bellew backed Wardley.
- Frampton observed that Wardley's "nose doesn't look like it's recovered" from the first fight and said his only route to victory is throwing "the kitchen sink" at Dubois inside three or four rounds.
- Nick Peet declared "I've never gotten a Dubois pick wrong" and predicted a Dubois TKO earlier than the first fight because "Wardley's corner won't be so brave second time around."
- Ade Oladipo called Dubois "the best heavyweight in the world," ranking him behind only Oleksandr Usyk, while multiple experts predicted the rematch would end inside five rounds.
- Michael 'Venom' Page argued that Wardley's early success in the first fight actually hurt him, as he "kept button bashing the same shot" and never adjusted — a tactical flaw Dubois will exploit.
Why it matters: With Dubois installed as a heavy favourite by 10 of 14 experts and Frampton flagging visible damage to Wardley from the first fight, Saturday's O2 Arena card could end inside 10 rounds and cement Dubois as the clear No. 1 heavyweight behind Usyk — or hand Wardley a stunning two-time champion story if the predicted blowout never materialises.
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