Rising heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma has weighed in on the upcoming high-stakes rematch between his stablemate Fabio Wardley and reigning WBO heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois, expressing firm belief that the Ipswich fighter can turn the tables in their second encounter.
The two heavyweights previously delivered a brutal yet thrilling spectacle back in May, engaging in a contest that immediately established itself as one of the most memorable bouts of the domestic boxing calendar. In that first encounter, Wardley got off to a flying start, stunning spectators and troubling the champion early by flooring his man in both the first and third rounds. Even his glancing blows appeared to carry devastating power, leaving Dubois on unsteady legs and forcing the champion into an immediate survival mode.
Dubois, however, showed tremendous grit and championship-level resolve to climb off the canvas. Rather than capitulating under the intense pressure, he weathered the early storm, composed himself in the corner, and began to mount a methodical comeback. As the rounds progressed, Dubois managed to start gathering increasing momentum, utilizing his physical strength and technical advantages to alter the complexion of the fight.
In particular, Dubois’s thudding jab and tidy footwork made for a somewhat one-sided affair in the later stages. These superior fundamentals allowed him to dictate the distance, neutralize Wardley’s explosive attacks, and accumulate crucial points. The damage inflicted by these sustained combinations eventually took a heavy toll, leading to an 11th-round stoppage that brought an end to Wardley’s spirited challenge and cemented Dubois’s status at the top of the division.
Yet despite the severe punishment he endured over the course of those eleven rounds, Wardley wasted little time in pursuing an immediate avenue back to the top. Demonstrating characteristic ambition, he activated his rematch clause shortly after the conclusion of the May bout. Now, just five months later, the 31-year-old is bidding to reclaim his WBO title in what promises to be another explosive showdown at London’s iconic O2 Arena.
The swift turnaround has naturally sparked intense debate within the boxing community. Many observers and pundits have expressed a degree of concern, given the brutal nature of the first fight and the limited recovery time afforded to a fighter who absorbed such a significant amount of cumulative damage. Furthermore, these apprehensions are amplified because Wardley has crafted a reputation throughout his career of being almost too tough for his own good—a warrior willing to absorb punishment to deliver his own, which can sometimes shorten a fighter’s peak performance window if relied upon too heavily.
Equally, though, the 31-year-old’s unshakeable resolve is seen by many within his camp as a vital competitive advantage. As one of his stablemates training under the guidance of Ben Davison, Itauma feels the Ipswich man possesses the necessary qualities to completely turn things around in the rematch and reclaim the championship belt.
Speaking during an interview with Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, the 21-year-old heavyweight contender candidly admitted to there being an element of personal bias in his assessment, while gracefully stopping short of providing a definitive, specific prediction for how the bout will officially end.
"Obviously I’m gymmates with Fabio, and I wish him success," Itauma told Queensberry Promotions. "I think he can win and I think he should. And I want him to."
The perspective from the champion’s camp, meanwhile, tells a notably different story of supreme confidence and future ambition. Daniel Dubois enters the preparations riding a wave of momentum following his resilient comeback victory in May. The champion seems supremely confident that he will successfully defend his belt and retain his world heavyweight title once again at the O2 Arena before looking ahead to even grander career milestones, with aspirations of pursuing major unification matches in 2027 to further cement his legacy in the sport.
