Dubois favoured to beat Wardley again in heavyweight title rematch

Daniel Dubois is widely favoured to beat Fabio Wardley again when the pair meet in London on Saturday, but several boxing figures expect the heavyweight rematch to be fiercely competitive.

Dubois will make the first defence of his WBO world title at the O2 Arena, five months after stopping Wardley in the 11th round in Manchester. Wardley, whose first professional defeat came in that fight, activated his rematch clause.

Most of the 14 fighters and commentators consulted by BBC Sport picked Dubois, often predicting another stoppage. Former world champion Barry Jones backed Dubois to win inside five rounds, while former two-weight world champion Carl Frampton forecast a victory between rounds seven and 10. [1]

There were dissenting views. British heavyweight Richard Riakporhe gave Wardley a 60-40 chance, pointing to his resilience and work rate. Former cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew predicted Wardley would win by knockout within six rounds. DAZN commentator Adam Smith called the outcome 50-50, expecting a knockout but saying he could not choose a winner. [1]

The predictions reflect the dangers posed by both fighters: BBC Sport says the pair recorded 41 knockouts across their 43 combined victories. Wardley has the chance to reclaim the title; Dubois, who got up from two knockdowns before stopping him in their first meeting, enters as champion. [1]