Dubois, Wardley hit career‑high weights ahead of heavyweight rematch
Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley both stepped on the scales at their heaviest marks as they prepared for a second heavyweight world‑title clash in London on Saturday. The WBO champion registered 18 st 2 lb (115 kg), while Wardley weighed in at 17 st 10 lb (112 kg) before the bout at the O2 Arena.
The two British fighters delivered a fight‑of‑the‑year candidate in Manchester in May, with Wardley sending Dubois to the canvas twice before the Londoner rallied to stop his battered opponent in the 11th round. “I draw confidence from the successes I had in the first fight – getting knockdowns in the first and third,” the 31‑year‑old Wardley said. “I need to capitalise on those moments better. I’m ready to put on a cleaner performance.” Dubois, now 29, is more than two pounds heavier for the rematch, while Wardley has added over six pounds. When asked for his prediction, Wardley replied: “Revenge, Fabio Wardley, knockout win.”
The final weigh‑in took place at Old Spitalfields Market in east London, amid the bustle of street‑food stalls and shoppers. A few hundred fans gathered under the market’s Victorian roof, some traveling specifically for the event and others stopping out of curiosity. The atmosphere was quieter than the August weigh‑ins that featured Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic.
Wardley arrived more than an hour early, appearing relaxed throughout fight week and even pausing for selfies with supporters after the weigh‑in. Dubois arrived later and kept his comments to a minimum, as he has done all week. “I know him now and know what to expect. I’m ready to go and do my job,” the Londoner said. “I’m ready for a tear up. Let’s go.”
The mandatory face‑off was uneventful despite the growing rivalry, and two‑time world champion Dubois quickly left the stage afterward. With 41 knockouts recorded between them from 43 victories, few expect the contest to go the distance.
Wardley, wearing Ipswich Town’s newly released third kit with his name on the sleeve, still bore the scars of his brutal defeat in Manchester five months earlier. A cut across the bridge of his nose, first opened in his 2024 draw with Frazer Clarke, reopened against Dubois, leaving his face swollen and bloodied. Some have questioned whether an immediate rematch was premature, but Wardley remains convinced he can reverse the result. “It’s simply seek and destroy now,” he said.
Promoter Frank Warren predicts a “blockbuster” 2027 for the heavyweight division, with lucrative fights awaiting Saturday’s winner. Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are slated to meet in Cardiff on 11 December, while British prospect Itauma is set to return in January after his world‑title loss to Hrgovic. Warren confirmed there is no contractual clause for a third Dubois‑Wardley bout, but he did not rule out a trilogy if the Ipswich fighter avenges his sole defeat. “If that happens it’s a natural fight,” Warren said. “That’s what’s so intriguing about this. Who will they fight next year? We want to find out who is the best.”