Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley are officially heading into their heavyweight world-title rematch at their career-heaviest, with both fighters promising another absolutely explosive encounter for Saturday’s showdown in London. Dubois, the WBO champion, hit the scales at a massive 18st 2lb (115kg), while Wardley came in at 17st 10lb (112kg) for their highly anticipated clash at the O2 Arena.
The Scales, The Scars, and The Promise of Brutality
Dude, this rematch is going to be wild. Dubois actually packed on more than 2lb from their first fight, and Wardley? He added over 6lb! These guys are coming in absolutely huge. Remember that first fight back in Manchester in May? That thing was a legit fight-of-the-year contender. Wardley floored Dubois twice, like he was really going to take him out, but then Dubois roared back and stopped Wardley in the 11th round. Wardley was left bloodied and battered, and get this: he’s still bearing the scars from that punishing defeat five months ago. A cut across the bridge of his nose, which first showed up in his 2024 draw with Frazer Clarke, reopened against Dubois and left his face badly swollen. You gotta respect the guy, but man, that’s rough.
The weigh-in itself was pretty subdued over at Old Spitalfields Market. Only a couple hundred fans showed up, way smaller than when Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic weighed in there. Wardley, looking pretty relaxed and even taking selfies with fans, got there an hour early. Dubois, though? He rolled in late, barely said a word all week, and kept it super brief. No drama at the face-off, which is kinda surprising given how fierce this rivalry has gotten, and then Dubois was off the stage fast. But don’t let the quiet weigh-in fool you, these guys are ready to throw down.
Revenge is on the Menu for Wardley, But Dubois Knows What’s Up
Wardley, rocking an Ipswich Town kit with his name on it, is clearly still feeling the sting of that loss. He’s drawing confidence from those early knockdowns he got in the first and third rounds of their previous bout, saying, “I need to capitalise on those moments better. I’m ready to put on a cleaner performance.” And when they asked for his prediction? He didn’t hold back: “Revenge, Fabio Wardley, knockout win.” Talk about putting it all out there! But Dubois is ready, too. He’s not exactly chatty, but he said, “I know him now and know what to expect. I’m ready to go and do my job. I’m ready for a tear up. Let’s go.” You can just feel the tension building, right?
With 41 knockouts from their combined 43 victories, pretty much nobody expects this thing to go the distance. Wardley’s decision to take an immediate rematch after such a brutal first fight has definitely raised some eyebrows, but he’s locked in. “It’s simply seek and destroy now,” he declared. Promoter Frank Warren is already talking about 2027 being a “blockbuster” year for the heavyweight division, with some serious money fights waiting for Saturday’s winner. We’re also looking at Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua finally meeting up in Cardiff on December 11, and that prospect Itauma returning in January. So, yeah, this Dubois-Wardley fight is going to set the tone for some massive stuff ahead. You absolutely do not want to miss this. Get ready, because these heavyweights are about to deliver pure chaos.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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