Daniel Dubois stops Fabio Wardley in the second round of their rematch to retain the WBO heavyweight title
Daniel Dubois beat Fabio Wardley by second-round stoppage on Saturday 17 October at the O2 Arena in London to retain the WBO heavyweight title, Sky Sports, NBC News and Yahoo Sports report. Bleacher Report lists the time as 2 minutes 21 seconds of round two, and NBC News says the fight ended with 39 seconds of the round left. Dubois knocked Wardley down early in the first round with a right hand, according to Yahoo Sports. Dubois has 24 wins and three defeats, according to NBC News and FightMag. NBC News says the referee ended the fight, while FightMag reports that Wardley's corner stopped it. In May at Co-op Live in Manchester Dubois took the title from Wardley with an 11th-round stoppage, Sky Sports and CBS Sports report. The Guardian reports that Dubois named Filip Hrgovic as a target after the fight and quotes him saying 'my time, my era'.
A first-round knockdown and a quick stoppage settle a rematch more plainly than a close decision does, and they put the champion in a stronger position when terms for his next fight are discussed. Reports of a face-off with Hrgovic show where those talks may start.
If you plan to watch the next Dubois fight, wait for a confirmed date and broadcaster before you book or pay, because a face-off is not a signed contract.
The Guardian quotes Dubois saying 'my time, my era' and names Hrgovic as a target after the fight.
Reports differ on how it ended: NBC News says the referee waved it off, while FightMag says Wardley's corner stopped it.
Confirmed in several outlets: the result, the round, the venue and the earlier May win. Not confirmed: whether the referee or Wardley's corner ended the fight, and the next opponent. Watch for a promoter statement on Hrgovic or any other date.
DailyDrop U.K. edition No. 15 · Morning · MON., OCT. 19, 2026