Daniel Dubois stops Fabio Wardley in second round to retain title

Daniel Dubois retained his WBO world heavyweight title with a second-round stoppage of Fabio Wardley at the O2 Arena in London on Saturday. BBC News and The Guardian reported that the 29-year-old champion floored Wardley in the opening 20 seconds of the first round. Wardley survived the initial count but was met with a sustained attack in the second round, leading his corner to throw in the towel. [1][4][10]

The Guardian reported that referee Steve Gray issued a count in the first round after Wardley's knee touched the canvas following a right hand from Dubois. According to BBC News, Wardley made it through the opening round before Dubois continued his assault in the second round to secure the victory. [1][4]

The bout was a rematch of their first fight in Manchester in May, where Dubois stopped Wardley in the 11th round to win the WBO heavyweight title. BBC Sport noted that the 31-year-old Wardley immediately triggered his rematch clause after taking the first loss of his professional career. The Daily Mail added that Wardley faced scrutiny following the first fight due to the punishment he received. [2][3][12]

Dubois is a two-time heavyweight world champion who has held the WBO title since May 2026. He previously held the IBF heavyweight title from 2024 to 2025 and the WBA heavyweight title from 2022 to 2023. [12]