Wardley vs Dubois Set for All-British WBO Heavyweight Showdown in Manchester

Fabio Wardley makes the first defense of his WBO heavyweight title against former IBF beltholder Daniel Dubois on Saturday night at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, a rare all-British heavyweight world title fight staged outside of London. Ringwalks for the main event are expected around 11 p.m. local time, with the card airing on DAZN Pay-Per-View in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Wardley comes in as the naturally smaller puncher who hits like a truck, a late starter in the sport who has become one of the most explosive finishers in the division. He picked up the WBO interim title in October 2025 with an 11th-round stoppage of Joseph Parker, then was elevated to full champion after Oleksandr Usyk vacated the strap the following month. He has publicly said he wants to prove he belongs in the ring rather than on paper after receiving the belt in the mail.

Dubois is trying to reboot his career. The Londoner held the IBF title for less than a year before being stopped by Usyk last July at Wembley Stadium, and he now looks to become a two-time heavyweight world champion. At 6-foot-5 and roughly 240 pounds, he matches Wardley in size but owns the more decorated amateur pedigree and a heavier résumé against top-five heavyweights. Trainers have pointed to Wardley’s low lead hand as an opening Dubois must exploit early.

The bookmakers have leaned Wardley slightly, but this is effectively a pick-em fight between two men who made their professional debuts on the same day in April 2017.

Wardley is 20-0-1 with 19 knockouts, a 90 percent KO rate, and holds wins over Parker, Justis Huni and David Adeleye. Dubois sits at 22-3 with 21 knockouts and has beaten Filip Hrgovic, Jarrell Miller and Anthony Joshua inside his run to a world title. Saturday decides which one stays in the heavyweight title picture as the division reshuffles around Usyk’s next move.