Fabio Wardley put Daniel Dubois down twice in Manchester and still left without his world title. Five months later, he gets another chance at The O2, where Saturday’s heavyweight rematch heads the latest boxing odds.
Dubois defends the WBO heavyweight championship on 17 October after stopping Wardley in the 11th round of their first meeting. That result makes him the favourite, although anyone who watched the opening exchanges in May will understand why this is a dangerous first defence.
Wardley has already proved he can hurt him. What he has to establish now is whether he can turn those moments into a winning performance without giving Dubois the opportunity to take over again.
With fight week underway, the undercard has expanded, the betting markets are available and there is a clearer picture of when UK viewers should tune in.
When Is Dubois vs Wardley 2?
Daniel Dubois vs Fabio Wardley 2 takes place on Saturday 17 October 2026 at The O2 in London, promoted by Queensberry.
The WBO heavyweight title is at stake, with Dubois entering as champion and Wardley attempting to reclaim the belt he lost in May.
The main details are:
- Date: Saturday 17 October 2026
- Venue: The O2, London
- Title: WBO heavyweight championship
- Daniel Dubois’ record: 23-3, with 22 knockouts
- Fabio Wardley’s record: 20-1-1, with 19 knockouts
- UK broadcaster: DAZN pay-per-view
Their first fight took place at Manchester’s Co-op Live. Moving the rematch to London gives Dubois a home-city title defence, but the change of venue is unlikely to trouble Wardley much. His challenge is dealing with the man opposite him once the early adrenaline settles.
Dubois vs Wardley 2 UK Start Time and TV Coverage
DAZN’s main-card coverage is scheduled to begin at 7pm BST, with the headline ring walks expected at approximately 10.30pm BST.
That ring-walk time is an estimate. The length of the supporting fights can move the main event forwards or backwards, so it should be treated as a guide when planning the evening.
For those attending, The O2 currently lists doors opening at 4pm. That replaces the later doors time previously shown on this page.
Dubois vs Wardley 2 will be broadcast live on DAZN pay-per-view. Viewers should check the event listing and their subscription’s access before Saturday, rather than assume a standard subscription includes the fight.
Our Boxing Tonight guide covers the latest UK viewing details across the weekend’s cards.
What Happened in the First Fight?
Wardley dropped Dubois inside the opening ten seconds on 9 May, then put him down again in round three. For a challenger trying to take a heavyweight world title, it was an alarming start.
Dubois recovered and gradually imposed himself, with referee Howard Foster stopping the contest in the 11th round. Wardley suffered his first professional defeat and Dubois became a two-time heavyweight world champion.
The result was decisive, but the route to it left both fighters with something to consider. Wardley had created genuine chances to win. Dubois had survived those chances and found a way to make his own work count over the longer fight.
That distinction matters for the rematch. Wardley can take encouragement from the knockdowns, although they do not explain how he wins if Dubois gets through another difficult spell. Dubois has the victory behind him, but allowing such a powerful opponent those opportunities again would be a considerable gamble.
Why Are Dubois and Wardley Fighting Again?
Wardley had an immediate rematch clause because he entered the first contest as champion making a voluntary defence. He exercised that right after losing the belt.
There is a sound sporting reason for the return as well. A fight containing two early knockdowns and an eventual late stoppage leaves more to discuss than a routine title defence would.
For Wardley, the challenge is judging how much to change. His early success came from qualities that have served him throughout his career: aggression, awkward timing and a right hand that opponents struggle to dismiss.
Abandoning those strengths would make little sense. Depending entirely on recreating the opening seconds of the first fight would be just as questionable.
Wardley Needs a More Patient Route to the Finish
The jab is where I would like to see Wardley make his biggest adjustment.
He does not need to dominate Dubois with it for twelve rounds. He needs it to occupy the champion, disrupt his rhythm and help disguise the right hand. Even when the jab fails to land cleanly, using it consistently gives Dubois another action to read.
Loading up becomes expensive when the finish does not arrive. A fighter can spend a round looking dangerous while doing very little to improve his position for the next one.
Wardley also needs to be selective after any breakthrough. If he hurts Dubois again, the temptation to settle everything immediately will be enormous. Keeping his feet underneath him and choosing the next punch carefully could matter more than throwing the next five.
His knockout record gives him every reason to trust his power. The harder task is trusting that another opening will come if he does not force the first one.
A more disciplined Wardley would still be an aggressive fighter. He would simply make Dubois work harder to anticipate when that aggression is coming.
Dubois Must Start as Carefully as He Finished
Dubois has spoken about feeling clearer and more confident after getting up from the first knockdown. He has also promised a more clinical performance in the rematch.
That confidence is understandable. Recovering from a start like that and winning a world title provides a powerful answer to any doubts about handling adversity.
There is still room for a much better opening performance. Dubois can be vulnerable when he steps into range without making his opponent respond to something first. Against Wardley, an untidy exchange carries a particularly high price.
I would expect the jab to feature early, with Dubois trying to establish where the exchanges happen before committing to heavier combinations. He can put pressure on Wardley without immediately giving him the close-range opportunities he wants.
The danger is interpreting the first result as permission to take the same risks. Dubois has earned confidence in his ability to recover, but his best chance of keeping the belt is to make recovery unnecessary.
Dubois vs Wardley 2 Undercard
Bakhodir Jalolov against Sol Dacres provides another heavyweight contest with plenty to examine.
Jalolov’s two Olympic gold medals make his amateur pedigree exceptional. At this stage of his professional career, the interest is in how he handles opponents who can ask questions beyond surviving the opening rounds.
Dacres has the opportunity to make him work. From a technical perspective, I will be watching whether he can disrupt Jalolov’s preferred distance and stop the Uzbek southpaw setting his feet comfortably.
Louie O’Doherty faces Michael Gomez Jr for the British and Commonwealth lightweight titles, while highly rated amateur Manny Safari makes his professional debut against Jake Pollard.
The British Boxing Board of Control currently lists the following bouts for the event:
- Daniel Dubois vs Fabio Wardley 2
- Bakhodir Jalolov vs Sol Dacres
- Louie O’Doherty vs Michael Gomez Jr
- Nelson Birchall vs Levi Giles
- Tony Curtis vs Kerim Agius
- Leighton Birchall vs Luis Vara Carrillo
- Fawas Aborode vs Rashid Omar
- Manny Safari vs Jake Pollard
- Adam Olaniyan vs an opponent to be confirmed
- Aaron Noriega vs an opponent to be confirmed
- Zayn Ahmed vs Kasey Bradnum
- Issiah Hamilton-Allen vs Jensen Irving
This is the scheduled card rather than the final broadcast running order. Two opponents remain unconfirmed, and late changes are still possible.
Daniel Dubois vs Fabio Wardley 2 Odds
At the time of writing on 12 October, the prices displayed on BetVictor’s fight markets are:
The displayed method-of-victory prices include:
Odds are subject to change.
Dubois’ favouritism reflects the first result. Wardley’s case rests heavily on finding another opening with his power, which helps explain the difference between his stoppage and decision prices.
From a betting perspective, however, expecting a Dubois stoppage and finding value in that outcome are separate judgements. The price already accounts for a substantial chance of him winning inside the distance.
Dubois vs Wardley 2 Prediction
I’m staying with Daniel Dubois by stoppage between rounds seven and ten.
Wardley remains capable of making that prediction look foolish very quickly. His timing can be difficult to read, and there is direct evidence that his punches can put Dubois on the floor. Dismissing him because he lost the first fight would overlook how close he came to changing its course.
My preference for Dubois comes from how I expect the exchanges to develop after the opening rounds. If he establishes the jab earlier, Wardley will have to cross more difficult ground to reach him. That should make the challenger’s attacks easier to see and give Dubois more opportunities to catch him coming forwards.
I expect Wardley to be more selective this time, which could produce a steadier start than the first meeting. The difficulty is maintaining that restraint when Dubois begins applying pressure. Falling behind may force him to chase, and chasing a strong heavyweight who punches straight is a dangerous way to recover rounds.
Dubois does not need a perfect performance to win, but he does need a responsible one. Assuming he gives himself a cleaner start, I favour his sustained work to bring another stoppage.
Prediction: Daniel Dubois by stoppage in rounds seven to ten.
What Comes Next for the Winner?
Victory would give Dubois a successful first WBO title defence and strengthen his position in future unification discussions. No subsequent opponent should be treated as confirmed simply because he retains the belt.
For Wardley, winning would restore his championship status and leave the rivalry at one victory each. A third meeting would become an obvious talking point, although its feasibility would depend on contracts, title obligations and the wider division.
Our heavyweight boxing rankings assess both men alongside the other leading contenders.
The British heavyweight calendar also includes Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua, scheduled for Cardiff on 11 December. That adds another significant result to consider before the division heads into 2027.
First, Wardley has to solve the problem that remained after May: how to keep control once Dubois has survived his best punches.
For the remaining confirmed cards, dates and UK broadcast details, visit our 2026 boxing schedule. Further previews and fight coverage are available in our boxing news section.
