Derek Chisora says Fabio Wardley should fight Daniel Dubois next, not undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
Wardley’s golden ticket
Chisora says Wardley (20-0-1, 19 KO) cannot beat Usyk. He prefers to face the recently knocked out Dubois (22-3, 21 KO), whom Usyk stopped in the fifth round on July 19, 2025. Derek isn’t thinking clearly. Why on earth would Wardley fight Dubois at the worst point in his career when he had just earned a world title shot against division kingpin Usyk?
Wardley earned a title shot against Usyk, earning an 11th-round TKO victory over WBO interim heavyweight champion Joseph Parker (36-4, 24 KO) last Saturday night, October 25 at the O2 Arena in London. The victory made Wardley the modern mandatory challenger to Usyk’s WBO title.
The money Wardley would get for fighting Usyk would far exceed what he could get for fighting Dubois, provided Turki Alalshikh is involved. Without his involvement, the money would obviously have been much lower for Usyk-Wardley without Riyadh Season’s involvement.
“I knew this kid was tough as nails. When I spar him and punch him, he keeps coming back,” said Derek Chisora BoxNationin reaction to Fabio Wardley’s knockout victory over Joseph Parker. “No, he won’t beat Usyk. Fight Daniel [Dubois]”
Olly Campbell’s Reality Check
Chisora’s advice to Fabio Wardley to avoid Usyk in favor of Dubois at his worst sounds strange. What person would trade their golden ticket for a potential $30-60 million payday to face a market with no value?
It’s time for Wardley to make his millions and fill his bank account with money he could only dream of at the beginning of his career. Derek’s comment about him not taking his chance sounds crazy.
Chisora has been in the game too long for him not to be able to come up with a compelling argument as to why it would be advantageous for Wardley to give up a huge payday against Usyk in favor of fighting Dubois depressed. This sounds like a thoughtless suggestion.
“Derek is a stupid guy. Why would he fight Daniel Dubois instead of Usyk?” Dillian Whyte asked. “Derek doesn’t employ his brain. That’s why he’s an ass.”
“19 fights and 18 KOs. What was he thinking?” John Fury said iFL Televisionreflecting on Joseph Parker’s decision to fight Fabio Wardley. “It was a pathetic move. The large money isn’t coming now and he doesn’t have the money for it.”
Haney won titles in three weight classes and was undisputed at lightweight. Most recently he defeated Brian Norman Jr. for the WBO welterweight world title.
Both men have impressed in their recent wins and are widely considered two of the most technically elite fighters in the sport today. A fight between the two has been discussed for a long time, and The Ring’s Mike Coppinger reported that it could now become a reality if one key hurdle can be overcome – an agreed weight limit.
This problem is not effortless to solve and may prove too stern for negotiations to overcome. Haney said he felt best at welterweight and looked exhausted at super lightweight. Stevenson argues that his opponent faced Jose Ramirez at the 144-pound catchweight last year and could do the same again. While Haney handled the weight well and performed well on the night, there is no doubt he would have been at a disadvantage.
Stevenson, however, argued that he is still a natural lightweight – even though he looks comfortable against Lopez at 140 pounds – and that a meeting under the welterweight limit creates a more even playing field.
Time will tell whether this can be agreed behind the scenes. A significant amount could assist move things forward, but given their undefeated records, pound-for-pound status and position as the face of American boxing, both Stevenson and Haney will be cautious in making decisions.
David Benavidez doesn’t think size alone will decide his fight against Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez. Ahead of the cruiserweight title clash, Benavidez says the advantage will come down to speed, combinations and a style that he feels Ramirez hasn’t faced before.
Benavidez said Ramirez is a bigger man and is used to facing naturally bigger opponents in the cruiserweight division, but he doesn’t see it as a problem. He believes the slower pace typical of this weight will work to his advantage once the punches start falling.
Benavidez said Ramirez has never faced someone like him in an official fight. Although both have sparred in the past, Benavidez has made it clear that he sees a major difference between rounds in the gym and fighting him under the lights for twelve rounds.
“There are a lot of opportunities to hit him with a lot of combinations because he is slower,” Benavidez told Double3 Coverage. “My speed, my movement and my defense will be too much for him and I will surely overwhelm and drown him with pressure and volume.”
It’s compelling that he so casually disregards the size difference. While Zurdo Ramirez is a natural cruiserweight and holds the unified WBA/WBO titles, Benavidez is betting that speed and volume will be the universal equalizer.
Benavidez sounds like a man who thinks he’s found a flaw in the system. Moving up to cruiserweight, he believes his hand speed will be a blur compared to fighters in the 200-pound division. But here comes the fear of a massacre.
He already says this is “his era.” When a fighter begins to look beyond a unified champion like Ramirez toward a September coronation or a legacy-defining run, he usually leaves his chin exposed.
On the other hand, bookmakers do not predict a massacre, at least not in the case of Benavidez. There’s a reason he’s a -600 favorite. Most analysts believe he is just unique enough that his volume will break Zurdo’s rhythm before the size difference becomes a factor.
Dan Ambrose is a boxing journalist at Boxing News 24, respected for his direct analysis and extensive coverage of the global fight landscape. His reports focus on the most vital fights, division development and the most discussed stories in sports.
Shakur Stevenson has hit the brakes following reports that he is in preliminary talks to fight Devin Haney.
Both elite Americans have claims to pound-for-pound status, both boast undefeated records and are considered among the most defensively gifted operators of the contemporary era.
However, a weight class or two has always separated them, and Haney’s recent move to welterweight – a division Stevenson says he can get to but is in no rush – seemed to make that fight less likely.
To make that happen, Stevenson said he would like Haney to agree to a catchweight of 144 pounds, the same limit he reached when defeating Jose Ramirez in 2025.
Today, The Ring’s Mike Coppinger reported that discussions had already begun, but the weight was a sticking point, with Stevenson likely still insisting on the stipulation, but Haney was keen on staying at 147 pounds.
However, Stevenson has now responded to Coppinger’s claim by speaking further X that there was no contact between the teams.
“I know the fans like to get excited and can toy with you all and easily manipulate you, but this rumor is dead for the second time. I haven’t heard a word about it, [I don’t know] what are they? [trying to] hide or hide, but me and my team haven’t heard any nonsense.”
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