Image credit: @queensberrypromotions via Instagram
Congratulations to Daniel Dubois on an emphatic victory. He’s nicely positioned himself as the leader of the pack and a unification dust-up with Filip Hrgovic is seemingly awaiting him if the Croat gets through his mandatory, Frank Sanchez.
To the victor go the spoils.
But what about Fabio Wardley? What’s next for the much-liked former WBO World Heavyweight Champion?
Still only 31, Wardley has time to rest. To jump back in with Dubois only 5 months after their brutal first fight seems to be a telling factor in how the second fight played out. It was too soon for Wardley, who suffered far more damage back in May at the Co-op Live arena. The best thing he could do next is properly rest, and recover both his body and his mind.
His body of work of the past few years has been remarkable. A reminder that his past 7 bouts have been:
- Stopping David Adeleye in a British Heavyweight Championship fight.
- A 12 round draw with Frazer Clarke, retaining the British Heavyweight Championship.
- A brutal first-round TKO win over Frazer Clarke in the rematch to again retain the British Heavyweight Championship.
- Knocked out Justis Huni.
- Stopped Joseph Parker to win the interim WBO World Heavyweight Championship, which was later upgraded to full champion when Usyk vacated.
- The 2026 fight of the year, being stopped in the 11th round by Daniel Dubois despite knocking him down twice to lose his WBO belt.
- Comprehensively beaten by Daniel Dubois in the rematch just 5 months later.
The Real Life Rocky
Did you know that Fabio Wardley had no amateur boxing background? And that he used to be a recruitment consultant? And that he didn’t have his first white-collar bout until he was 20? And that he made his professional debut just 2 years later?
Yes, you did. It’s well documented.
Don’t let that detract from his remarkable tale. Often, we talk about athletes as role models for children. Fabio Wardley is a role model to adults. A testament to what can be achieved through hard graft and sheer determination.
When his career is all said and done, a film is very much warranted. He deserves all the flowers.
Ultimately, Wardley has earned the right to do whatever he wants next. It seems to me that he has 3 options on the table; rebuild, retire or one and done.
A Rebuild?
A Fabio Wardley rebuild is likely to look different to the other attempted heavyweight rebuilds we’ve seen over recent years. I don’t foresee him jumping in with Jake Paul or Tyrrell Anthony Herndon, as Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder have done in recent memory.
When interviewed in the ring immediately following defeat to Dubois for the second time, Wardley twice highlighted how Dubois had rebuilt from defeat to rise again. Very much an indicator that he is not done in the squared circle. He also reinforced his desire to keep being in big fights.
With this in mind, how does Wardley both rebuild and keep himself in the big fights? The 2 things can be paradoxical. Below are 3 fighters who could tick both of these boxes.
Arslanbek Makhmudov
The Lion has built recognition with UK fight fans off the back of being the B-side for consecutive sell-out bouts, with Dave Allen at the Sheffield Arena and Tyson Fury at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium respectively. Once very much looking as if he’d be a big problem in the glamour division, a momentum halting defeat at the hands of Agit Kabayel revealed chinks in his armour. These chinks were utilised by Guido Vianello shortly after, who stopped Makhmudov in the 8th and really damaged his credentials. He’s fought 3 times since, to mixed results.
He stopped Ricardo Brown in the 1st, who’s not fought since, before labouring to a points win over British cult-hero Dave Allen. He then went on to fight Tyson Fury, probably losing every single round in doing so.
Makhmudov represents a fight Wardley would be the favourite for, but has enough of a profile for UK fight fans to buy in to make it commercially viable.
I did also think about Martin Bakole for this sort of ‘fallen boogeyman’ opponent, but who knows what is going on with him.
Efe Ajagba
Fabio Wardley has fought 20 of his 23 fights in the UK, fighting twice in Saudi Arabia and once in Gibraltar. Your next fight in boxing is never guaranteed, and Wardley may wish to pursue the chance to headline a U.S. show before he hangs up the gloves.
I wonder if Zuffa Boxing would be interested in signing the Suffolk man. I have no insights into Wardley’s contractual position, it is worth noting.
It’s fair to say that Zuffa are yet to have any sort of meaningful impact in the heavyweight division, with their two most noteworthy heavyweight clashes probably being Efe Ajagba stopping Charles Martin and Johnny Fisher beating Michael Pirotton on points.
With Charles Martin being a former IBF World Heavyweight Champion, of sorts, and Fisher not being near Wardley’s level, Ajagba would be the only heavyweight that Zuffa could put in there with Wardley.
They could use this bout to crown the inaugural Zuffa Heavyweight Champion, allowing Wardley the chance to become a 2 time world champion.
With an Oleksandr Usyk fight falling through earlier this year, Deontay Wilder could also represent a great U.S. opponent for Wardley and has long seemed a logical signing for Zuffa.
I’ve focused on Ajagba, as at the time of writing, Wilder is rumoured to be fighting either Rico Verhoeven or Jai Opetaia on the undercard of Fury/Joshua.
Jeamie Tshikeva
Perhaps a domestic clash is what Wardley needs to relight his fire.
TKV is also coming off a defeat, and whilst a less dangerous fight may be more appealing, the financial aspects of a clash with Wardley could well entice him to the table.
Also a former British Heavyweight Champion, he could offer an interesting clash of styles, being an intelligent fighter who is dangerous in the clinch vs Wardley’s offence-first approach. I’d imagine that Wardley would be a moderately strong favourite for the bookies.
You could pick any British heavyweight ranked domestically from positions 10 to 20 on BoxRec for this sort of fight for Wardley, but TKV headlined and won on Boxxer’s first BBC card to claim the Lonsdale belt towards the back end of 2025. Whilst accurate viewership data isn’t readily available, one would have to imagine that main-eventing on the BBC’s return to primetime boxing for the first time in over 20 years would’ve exposed him to a solid number of fight fans.
TKV also fought at the top of the Fury/Makhmudov undercard, with his British Heavyweight Championship loss to Richard Riakporhe being the final fight before the co-main event.
With this event being free to watch for Netflix subscribers, his appearance on this card would’ve again bettered awareness of him to fight fans and casuals alike.
One and Done
Having already climbed to the top of the mountain and paid a heavy price in terms of punishment taken, Wardley may look to secure one more serious payday before retiring.
Wardley, a father, is undoubtedly an accomplished belt collector. With many fans calling for him to retire in the interest of protecting his health, is there too much money on the table for him to walk away from?
Boxing is a brutal sport. Fighters should look to maximise their earnings.
Joseph Parker II
At the time of writing, Wardley’s victory over Joseph Parker is the best of his career. History is written by the victors. Due to Parker’s positive test for a cocaine metabolite immediately after the fight, conversation moved away from the bout’s controversial stoppage.
Experienced referee Howard Foster stepped in to wave off the bout during the 11th round, a decision that sparked widespread criticism as Parker was still standing, appeared clear-headed, and was probably winning the fight on account of being ahead on two of the judges’ scorecards at the time.
It is worth noting that although the consensus amongst fans was that this stoppage was far too early, the British Boxing Board of Control fully backed Foster’s intervention to protect Parker from further punishment.
Thankfully Parker has now been cleared to compete again after UK Anti-Doping accepted that his adverse testing was the result of accidental cross-contamination from his nutritionist, rather than intentional use.
With Parker looking to get back towards the top of the mountain, many felt that he was next in line to face Usyk for the Undisputed championship at the time he took a voluntary interim title defence against Wardley, and Fabio potentially feeling that he has Parker’s number, this one could be a real winner.
Retirement
No one would begrudge Wardley if he wanted to walk away from the ring at this point. He took an obscene amount of punishment in his first clash with Dubois, and it was remarkable that he remained on his feet throughout. It was a true warrior’s performance, even if it ended in defeat.
We won’t know if the version of Wardley we saw in their rematch is all that’s left of him, or if Dubois was just that good until Wardley decides to lace up the gloves, and go again.
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