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Fabio Wardley Shares Explosive Fight Prediction for Daniel Dubois Rematch

Fabio Wardley believes this October fight against Daniel Dubois will end far differently than their first encounter.
Terrance Biggs|
Fabio Wardley
Fabio Wardley | IMAGO / Action Plus

The last time the boxing world saw Fabio Wardley, he was on the canvas as Daniel Dubois became the WBO heavyweight champion.

Ten rounds before, Wardley dropped Dubois in the opening seconds of the fight. Undeterred, the former champion believes he's erased the tactical error that cost him his title and undefeated record.

Speaking in an interview ahead of their October 17 rematch in London, Wardley made his intentions clear, leaving no doubt as to where his mindset lies.

Fabio Wardley
Fabio Wardley | IMAGO / PRiME Media Images

Wardley predict early Dubois KO

Instead of leaving the fight in the judge's hands, the former champion wants to put a brutal end to the rematch, leaving nothing in doubt and nothing up to interpretation. Wardley promised a quick victory within four rounds. The odds are not in his favor, as Dubois will enter the fight as the favorite.

Wardley, upon reflecting on his stunning loss, realized more about himself than his opponent did. When he directed this quote at Dubois, you could see his vision. Both will need to make adjustments heading into the rematch.

“I’ve made a career out of finishing fights before the bell, not needing judges. And I had it done almost in the first round of our first fight, almost in the third round of our fight. So we’re going to go back to the drawing board, pick apart those moments, pick apart you stylistically, and see what worked and what didn’t work, and within the first quarter of the fight, you’ll be gone, you’ll be outta there.”

By all accounts, and by the video that backs it up, Wardley looked in control of the first. As mentioned, he dropped Dubois in the first round. Later, he beat his opponent to the knee in the third. Somehow, he didn't put Dubois away. Instead, Dubois not only regained his bearings as the fight progressed but also the confidence to stand and trade before finishing off Wardley in the 11th round.

For all of his confidence, Wardley remains a 4:1 underdog. Rewatching the video, you can see exactly what went wrong. After the third round, Wardley did not move confidently towards Dubois. On the other hand, Dubois used better head movement and punch variety to catch his breath in the middle rounds.

Once the eighth round happened, you could see Wardley's movements become a bit more labored, with his punches becoming slower and slower.

Additionally, Wardley needs to be careful to avoid getting caught in a power punch and knocked out again. If he truly wants to win the fight, he needs to control both the distance and pace by making Dubois fight off his back foot.

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Terrance Biggs
TERRANCE BIGGS

Terrance is a boxing writer for KO on SI. He's enjoyed over a decade of writing experience, writing for Full Press Coverage, Pro Football Sports Network and Heavy.com, covering both professional and collegiate sports. He is s a member of the Football Writers Association of America and the United States Basketball Writers Association. Terrance also votes on postseason awards like the Biletnikoff, Groza, and Thorpe Awards. Biggs earned his bachelor's degree in Communication from Fort Hays State University. When not writing, he enjoys spending time with his children and his fiancée, along with playing softball.