Boxing
Why Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois are bringing real danger back to heavyweight boxing
Wardley vs. Dubois: Only on DAZN PPV - Saturday
As Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua continues to percolate in anticipation, another all-British showdown is ready to explode .
Fabio Wardley will put his WBO heavyweight world championship on the line against Daniel Dubois at Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England, and live on DAZN , on Saturday night.
The two had a heated press conference Thursday, as Dubois refused to bump fists with the champion after their faceoff. Wardley (20-0-1, 19 KOs) enters the bout living on the edge in the ring , having mounted spectacular, late rallies in stopping Justis Huni in June followed by former world champion Joseph Parker in October.
Dubois (22-3, 21 KOs), a former world heavyweight titleholder himself, is coming off a fifth-round knockout loss to unified ruler Oleksandr Usyk in their July rematch.
Daniel Dubois insists he has no scars from past defeats
Wardley vs. Dubois only on DAZN PPV and Ultimate Tier - Saturday, May 9 - Buy here
With each man touting a knockout rate of 95%, Saturday night’s fight has aptly earned its “Don’t Blink” billing.
Will Wardley once again find himself mounting a comeback toward another scintillating stoppage? Or will ‘Dynamite’ Dubois forcibly shut the door on that trend? I've been examining who has the edge entering this massive collision.
Boxing Styles
Fabio Wardley is coming off his most complete boxing performance in producing a riveting 11 th round TKO of Joseph Parker. The bout showed he can be a disciplined puncher who works off a crisp power jab with timing to pave the way for clubbing shots to land, especially with his big right hand.
His style will be mashed up against Daniel Dubois who pressures off the front foot and closes space to launch heavy-handed shots himself, especially his right hand. The push here might come to Dubois getting erratic at times - something Wardley, who is comfortable punching in traffic with counters, can exploit.
Edge: Wardley
Power
With each man touting a 95% knockout ratio, Wardley or Dubois can generate a stoppage in the blink of an eye. But the way they go about unloading their power is different at times.
Over his last two fights, Wardley has shown the ability to outlast opponents and drag them to deep waters, only to pounce — whether with a single shot or barrage of punches.
Dubois’ power is more explosive, thus the ring moniker ‘Dynamite.’
This category is essentially a pick em, but we’ll give the nod to Dubois. The former champ’s punching potency is more raw and booming.
Edge: Dubois
Mental Warfare
Wardley used Thursday’s presser to point out how his resolve remains steely regardless of what he encounters in the ring, while he alleged that Dubois’ mental toughness fluctuates fight to fight.
Dubois does have the richer experience, having shared the ring with Oleksandr Usyk twice, Anthony Joshua and Filip Hrgovic to name a few. Invaluable lessons come from those bouts.
That said, what Wardley trails in experience, he seemingly makes up for with a supreme, unwavering belief in himself that has made him WBO heavyweight champion of the world.
Until someone can break that belief, Wardley ekes out this category too.
Edge: Wardley
Queensberry, Leigh Dawney
Who has the edge in Wardley vs. Dubois?
Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have the bigger accolades and fame to their names, but Wardley and Dubois might set off more fireworks in a bout that’s bound to be explosive. Each man is a destructive knockout puncher, capable of having their hand raised in an instant.
I have the edge residing with Wardley, 2-1, crediting him for his momentum. However, Dubois possesses the ‘Dynamite’ to change that projection.
The winner could find himself within arm’s reach of O leksandr Usyk , making this fight all the more intriguing and lending itself to “Don’t Blink.”
Watch Wardley vs. Dubois only on DAZN
The WBO world heavyweight title is on the line for Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois this Saturday, May 9, only on DAZN PPV. Buy as a one-off PPV or included, along with the Usyk vs Verhoeven (May 23), Fury vs. Hall (June 13) and Zayas vs. Ennis (June 27) PPVs, with a DAZN Ultimate Tier subscription.
