Daniel Dubois is set to defend his WBO heavyweight title against Fabio Wardley after the Ipswich fighter activated a rematch clause in his contract.

The two British fighters engaged in one of the most invigorating and brutal heavyweight fights in recent memory, with Dubois surviving two knockdowns early in the fight to take control and outwork Wardley until he was stopped by the referee in the eleventh round.

I’m talking to Boxing King’s MediaDubois thought about winning for the first time.

“I thought, ‘Yep, I’ve proven you guys wrong again.’ It was just a win for me, my dad, my team, my whole circle, it was just a win [satisfying] victory for them. I know all the strenuous work they put in behind the scenes.

Given the injuries Wardley suffered during the fight, many believed he could take a break from the sport to recover or take a more stable path back to title contention. Ultimately, however, the chance to regain the belt he won after defeating Joseph Parker last year proved too good to pass up.

Asked if he was surprised that Wardley chose to exercise the clause, Dubois admitted there was some uncertainty about the challenger’s intentions.

“A little bit [surprised]. We’ll see, it could be a tactical move, you never know… I’m ready for whatever comes next.

Promoter Frank Warren says fans will see the rematch in 2026 and believes it is currently huge enough to fill the stadium. Wherever it happens, there is no doubt that both men deserve to have as many eyes on their rivalry as possible given what was left in the ring last time out.

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez looks to regain a share of the super middleweight crown in September when he faces WBC champion Christian Mbilli.

Canelo lost all four belts to Terence Crawford in 2025, suffering his first loss at 168 pounds and only his third overall after losses to Floyd Mayweather and Dmitry Bivol.

When Crawford retired, the belts fell apart, and interim WBC titleholder Mbilli was one of the first to benefit. Having risen from interim to full champion, Mbilli now faces the biggest fight of his career against one of the sport’s up-to-date greats.

I’m talking to Fighting the noiseHall of Fame fighter Tim Bradley said he sees the fight only going one way, believing Mbilla’s aggressive style will be a golden opportunity for Alvarez to remind the boxing world of his quality and result in a comprehensive victory.

“He’s going to bust Mbilli’s ass. I like Mbilli – tough guy, come and hurt. It’s going to be a hell of a fight, but Canelo will be grabbing him and shooting him in the ass all night long. Uppercuts, hooks… Oh, it’s going to be bad.”

“Canelo looks like he’s He-Man. He’ll look like he’s back.”

The fight culminating in the “Mexico vs. the World” gala will take place on September 12 in Riyad, Saudi Arabia. While the card is yet to be set, the fight could feature Canelo’s former rival-turned-training partner and modern WBA super middleweight champion Jaime Munguia.

If Alvarez wins, he won’t face Munguia for unification, but there will be no shortage of opponents. Other masters Osleys Iglesias and Both Hamzah Sheeraz have made it clear that they want to take a shot at the man many still consider to be the face of boxinglining up some intriguing options at 168 pounds. Mbilli, of course, intends to put an end to these plans before they begin.

Ryan Rozicki believes that when he goes to Bournemouth next Saturday for the main event of the first British Zuffa Boxing gala, he will face not only Chris Billam-Smith.

The Canadian boxer (21-1-1, 20 KO) will face former WBO cruiserweight champion Billam-Smith (21-2, 13 KO) in a 10-round cruiserweight fight at the Bournemouth International Center. Rozicki made it clear that he expected conditions in his hometown to work against him.

“Of course it is a disadvantage. I will face Chris. I will face the referee, judges, officials and these doctors. They will look for any reason to stop the fight so that he can win. I already know that,” Rozicki told Fighthype.

When asked how he planned to avoid leaving the result in the judges’ hands, Rozicki answered simply.

“With my hands.”

The fight will mark Billam-Smith’s debut under his up-to-date multi-fight contract with Zuffa Boxing. The player from Bournemouth will fight in front of his home crowd as a clear favorite against one of the best players in the division.

Rozicki also revealed a level of honesty rarely seen from athletes when discussing their own record. Recalling his first fight with Emiliano Peralta, he admitted that, in his opinion, the judges made the wrong decision.

“It should have been a failure on my record. I still say that to this day. The first one was his and it was a mistake I made,” Rozicki said. – I underestimated it when I went in.

Rozicki explained that he entered this fight already looking for a chance to win the world title and paid the price for it.

“I was looking straight at the WBC world title. I was thinking, ‘I’m going to knock this guy out in the first round.’ “That’s what I did. I looked beyond him,” Rozicki said.

Saturday’s fight gives Rozicki another chance to break into the cruiserweight ring. Billam-Smith may have the home advantage, but Rozicki sounds like a fighter who has already decided that a close fight isn’t enough.

Tomek Galm is a boxing journalist covering the global fight landscape since 2014, specializing in heavyweight analysis, industry trends and fighter psychology.

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Last updated: 31/05/2026 at 19:01