Daniel Dubois has firmly announced himself as one of the very best heavyweights on the planet following an emphatic second-round stoppage victory in his high-stakes rematch with domestic rival Fabio Wardley at the O2 Arena. The commanding performance has sent shockwaves through the heavyweight division, prompting fellow British heavyweight veteran Derek Chisora to weigh in on the landscape of the weight class and pinpoint the fighter he believes could provide "Triple D" with his most arduous challenge moving forward.
Dubois bossed proceedings from the opening bell on Saturday evening, pouncing on Wardley with ruthless aggression and explosive punch power. The statement start yielded an immediate knockdown just 17 seconds into the contest, setting a ferocious tone from which Wardley never truly recovered. The Ipswich-based challenger had absorbed a gruelling amount of damage during their first memorable encounter just five months prior, but the longevity of the punishment was significantly lesser this time around. Realising the severe danger and the overwhelming nature of Dubois’s onslaught, trainer Ben Davison wisely threw in the towel during the second round to prevent further harm to his fighter.
Speaking to Jack Figg in the aftermath of the event, Derek Chisora offered a candid assessment of the bout and suggested that Wardley may not have been fully prepared for the magnitude of the rematch. "He didn’t train, let’s be honest, he didn’t train enough, he was not on point," Chisora remarked.
Despite the nature of the defeat, Chisora was quick to praise Wardley’s remarkable personal journey and the legacy he has already carved out in the sport. "You have to give Fabio his credit because he is a kid from white-collar boxing, he has come in and become a work champion from nothing," Chisora said. "He beat Joseph Parker, he has travelled to Riyadh, he became a big star in London, now he works on DAZN. Boxing is done for him."
Turning his attention back to the victorious Dubois, "Del Boy" declared that while he currently struggles to envision any heavyweight in the division defeating the hard-hitting Briton, a heavily discussed and in-demand rematch with Filip Hrgovic would represent the most hazardous obstacle for his next outing. "Right now, I don’t see anybody [beating Daniel Dubois]," Chisora stated. "Maybe somebody who might give him some trouble would be Hrgovic, but right now nobody can beat him."
Dubois is widely expected to make his triumphant return to the ring in February 2027, continuing his ascent at the pinnacle of the sport. However, despite the intrigue surrounding a potential collision with Hrgovic, it appears unlikely that the Croatian puncher will be standing across the canvas from Dubois for his next fight. Hrgovic is currently pencilled in for a significant title defence on home soil in Croatia, where he is expected to face Cuba’s dangerous contender Frank Sanchez, leaving Dubois’s immediate future open to alternative options as the heavyweight division continues to evolve at a rapid pace.
