A fast start in London
Daniel Dubois retained the WBO heavyweight title by stopping Fabio Wardley in the second round of their rematch at London’s O2 Arena on October 17. Dubois sent Wardley to the canvas with a right hand just 17 seconds into the opening round. Wardley beat the count and continued, but Dubois kept pressing and forced the finish in the second.
How the rematch ended
Wardley’s corner threw in the towel as the champion pinned him under a sustained attack. Referee Steve Gray waved off the bout with 39 seconds left in round two, according to the Associated Press. The result was a second-round technical stoppage and another emphatic chapter in a rivalry that began with a much closer fight in May.
What comes next for Dubois?
The win moved Dubois to 24 victories and three defeats, while Wardley’s record stood at 20 wins and two losses, AP reported. IBF champion Filip Hrgovic was ringside and publicly challenged Dubois after the fight, raising the prospect of a future title unification bout. No next fight has been confirmed.
For Wardley, the rematch ended in a decisive loss, but he praised Dubois and said he intended to return. The speed of the finish and the stakes of the heavyweight title made the bout one of the weekend’s major boxing stories.