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Dubois to Defend WBO Title Against Wardley in 2026

By Drooid · Oct 16, 2026, 10:40 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Daniel Dubois will defend his WBO heavyweight title against Fabio Wardley at London’s O2 Arena on October 17, 2026.
Dubois weighed in at a career-high 253.9 lb, while Wardley topped his previous best at 248.3 lb.
Dubois said he will finish Wardley faster and dismissed the challenger’s punches “like a baby.”
Wardley vowed to use his “variability” and early power to seek knockout revenge after changing his training camp.

History

Historical Context

After Riddick Bowe abandoned the WBC belt, Lennox Lewis was named champion on 14 December 1992, becoming Britain’s first heavyweight titleholder of the 20th century. He lost that crown to Oliver McCall in September 1994, then reclaimed the vacant WBC title on 7 February 1997, a victory that proved British heavyweights could dominate the global stage and set the template for later UK title fights such as the 2026 Dubois-Wardley bout.

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Story summary

Daniel Dubois will defend his WBO heavyweight title against Fabio Wardley at London’s O2 Arena on October 17, 2026.
Dubois weighed in at a career-high 253.9 lb, while Wardley topped his previous best at 248.3 lb.
Dubois said he will finish Wardley faster and dismissed the challenger’s punches “like a baby.”
Wardley vowed to use his “variability” and early power to seek knockout revenge after changing his training camp.

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