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Next Briton: Could Fabio Wardley really beat Oleksandr Usyk?

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It was brutal, gripping and divisive, and the winner was, in the eyes of many, unexpected.

Fabio Wardley’s victory over Joseph Parker was a huge achievement for the Ipswich man and provided fans with another heavyweight thriller.

In the aftermath, Wardley – and perhaps more importantly, promoter Frank Warren – made it clear what they wanted to, no, happen next: a date with Oleksandr Usyk; a man who has haunted British fighters for years.

The fight is expected to be booked by the WBO, and Warren said it would likely take place around March next year, with London and Riyadh hosting.

Interestingly, Wardley said he wanted to go to the United States, which would not only be huge for him, but the US has yet to see Usyk at heavyweight.

All the logistics are irrelevant compared to the main question: Can Wardley actually do it?

Several Brits have tried and failed, and the list is impressive: Tony Bellew (cruiserweight), Derek Chisora, Anthony Joshua (twice), Tyson Fury (twice) and Daniel Dubois (twice) failed to defeat Usyk’s generation great.

Wardley has made no secret of his unique journey to the top. He is now a white-collar fighter with little amateur experience who has established himself as the No. 2 heavyweight in the world.

However, he also made it clear that he didn’t want to fight Usyk for fun. He wants all four belts and believes he can cause problems for Ukraine.

“I’m not going to get in the ring with Usyk and say ‘thank you for having me’ and get up. When the bell rings, he’s going to have to work for it,” Wardley said.

Of course, you’d expect an elite fighter to have this attitude, but – so far, anyway – Wardley has embraced it.

After round 10 against Parker he had no chance but was stopped; 19th in his career. He took a lot of good shots, but he proved he had one of the best engines in the league and pushed forward.

Several times it looked like Parker was on the brink of being taken down, but Wardley stood his ground and refused to be taken down.

He won’t try to finish Usyk, but if and when he takes punches, Wardley has shown he can handle it. When it comes to how he can win a fight, he has what Warren calls the great equalizer. In a way, he is the British answer to Deontay Wilder.

“There are levels. There’s also Fabio Warley, who has a leveler and does ‘this and that,'” Warren said, raising both fists.

“And if he catches you, you’re out of the game.”

It all adds up to an intriguing year for the heavyweight division.

With any luck, Wardley, Usyk, Dubois, Agit Kabayel (who will fight in January), Moses Itauma and Joshua will fight until April.

Although Joshua has been inactive, he is still one of the biggest stars on the planet and his potential fight in Africa will be an unforgettable experience.

If fans want to see the best fighting the best, they shouldn’t mind Usyk fighting Wardley, who deserved his chance. Usyk has also beaten everyone so far and should be eager for a recent challenge.

You may doubt Wardley, but so far he has proven everyone wrong. Who said he couldn’t do it again?

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Peter Fury Shares Final Thoughts on Daniel Dubois vs Fabio Wardley 2: I Still Think That

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Peter Fury Shares Final Thoughts on Daniel Dubois vs Fabio Wardley 2: "I Still Think That"

Top trainer Peter Fury has offered his expert analysis on the rematch between Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley, believing it is still a 50/50 fight.

Others, meanwhile, will argue that Dubois should be made a considerable favourite, based on how he was able to dismantle Wardley in their first encounter.

In order to do so, the ‘Dynamite’ puncher was compelled to climb off the canvas in rounds one and three, having been put down by blows to the top of his head.

Proceedings then became a little one-sided as Dubois, utilising his fundamentals, managed to score an 11th-round finish with his thudding jab and superior footwork.

Wardley, however, wasted little time before activating the rematch clause in their contract and, in turn, securing the chance to reclaim his WBO title at London’s O2 Arena tomorrow evening.

Many will argue that such a swift turnaround could lead to his downfall while, due to his power and toughness, others would suggest that the 31-year-old is always dangerous, no matter the opponent standing across from him.

As such, coach Fury has told Boxing King Media that, while Dubois is rightfully brimming with confidence, it would be foolish to entirely dismiss Wardley’s attributes.

“I think it’s a great heavyweight fight – Dubois has got heavy hands and a good jab as well, so it’ll be interesting.

“You’ve got to say Wardley’s got it all to do, because the confidence of Dubois will be high. And if Dubois’ super confident, he’s a problem.

“But let’s see – Wardley was able to hurt Dubois early on. I still think that fight is a 50/50 fight.”

If he emerges victorious against Wardley, then Dubois will likely be targeting a unification match with Agit Kabayel or Filip Hrgovic in 2027.

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Daniel Dubois vs Fabio Wardley 2: Round-by-Round Live Updates and Results

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Daniel Dubois vs Fabio Wardley 2: Round-by-Round Live Updates and Results

Daniel Dubois will face Fabio Wardley in a rematch of a heavyweight slugfest from earlier this year, with Dubois defending the WBO heavyweight title he took from Wardley on that night.

Live coverage will kick off at 2 pm ET, and we’ll have results and updates during the four-fight, main card undercard, then live, round-by-round scoring and updates for the main event itself.

How to watch Dubois vs Wardley 2

Start time: 2:00 pm ET for main card, prelims begin at 11:00 am ET

Streaming: DAZN (Ultimate subscription or Pay-Per-View)

PPV Cost: As a standalone, one-off purchase Pay-Per-View, the price is $59.99 (or £24.99). With DAZN’s Ultimate tier, the show is included as part of your subscription.

Location: O2 Arena – London, England

Dubois vs Wardley 2 full undercard and running order

Live Stream: Dubois vs Wardley 2 Prelims

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Mannix and Mora Support Fabio Wardley in Quest for Vengeance

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"Mannix and Mora Support Fabio Wardley in Quest for Vengeance"

Fabio Wardley can turn his early success against Daniel Dubois into a rematch victory if he avoids exhausting himself chasing the finish. He proved he could hurt Dubois in their first fight. The harder task is keeping control when an opponent he has dropped continues coming forward.

Wardley scored two early knockdowns before Dubois recovered and stopped him. That leaves an opening for a different result, although better pacing alone may not be enough to prevent another punishing night.

Chris Mannix and Sergio Mora both back Wardley to win again on Saturday, with Mannix choosing him by stoppage. Mora believes Wardley’s eagerness to finish Dubois helped undo his promising start.

“If he just doesn’t punch himself out, he thinks about setting up that right hand, doesn’t get right hand happy,” Mora said to DAZN Boxing.

That is the adjustment Wardley needs to make under pressure. Once Dubois survived his biggest punches, Wardley needed something beyond another loaded right hand. Working behind his jab and putting punches together would give him more ways to attack without spending everything on a single finish.

Dubois deserves credit for surviving those knockdowns and returning to his jab. Mora believes his previous defeats helped him stay composed when Wardley hurt him. Wardley now has his own experience of a fight turning against him.

“I think he’ll be smarter after this fight. I think he’ll learn some lessons,” Mannix said. “I think Wardley wins by stoppage in this fight.”

Mannix’s biggest concern is what the first beating took out of Wardley. Learning the tactical lesson does not guarantee he will absorb Dubois’ punches the same way in the rematch.

Wardley’s power gives their picks a credible foundation. He has already put Dubois down twice. To complete the job, he needs to create another opening without allowing the pursuit of a knockout to leave him exhausted and exposed again.

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Boxing247.com is an independent boxing news publication covering the sport since 2001. It provides original reporting, fight analysis, schedules, results, and informed coverage of major fighters and events worldwide, backed by more than 25 years of professional boxing journalism.

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