Dubois vs Wardley 2 result: Daniel Dubois stops Fabio Wardley in round 2 to keep WBO heavyweight title

Daniel Dubois retained the WBO heavyweight title with a second-round stoppage of Fabio Wardley in their rematch at the O2 Arena in London on Saturday 17 October, Reuters reported via Al Jazeera. The fight ended in the early hours of Sunday in Pakistan.

How it happened

Dubois, 29, dropped Wardley with a straight right hand 17 seconds after the opening bell. Wardley, 31, beat the count but took a heavy beating on the ropes for the rest of the round and was saved by the bell.

There was no way back in the second. Dubois kept landing until Wardley's corner threw in the towel and referee Steve Gray stopped the fight.

"Fabio is a great warrior, coming in for a second time, but it was my time and my era," Dubois said. "Our back was against the wall the first time. This time, we just had to go out there and show that we mean business."

Records after the rematch

Why there was a rematch

Wardley had been promoted to WBO champion in November when Oleksandr Usyk vacated the title. In May, Dubois got up from two knockdowns, the first after 16 seconds, to stop Wardley in the 11th round in Manchester and take the belt, Wardley's first defeat. This time the fight lasted less than two rounds.

"There's no shame in testing yourself against the best," Wardley said afterwards. "Boxing is a game of fine margins."

What next for Dubois

IBF champion Filip Hrgovic of Croatia, who won that belt by beating Moses Itauma in August, was ringside and called for a unification fight. "He's ready to fight me in March, right, Daniel?" Hrgovic said. Promoter Frank Warren suggested other contenders may come first. Dubois said he wanted his old IBF belt back: "I want to get my old belt back and rule the division." Dubois beat Hrgovic in June 2024 for the interim IBF title.

For more fight nights and their Pakistan times, see our UFC schedule in Pakistan time and the sports desk.