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Boxing
Fabio Wardley v Daniel Dubois: boxing heavyweight title – live
TL;DR
Fabio Wardley faces Daniel Dubois in a highly anticipated heavyweight boxing match at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester. Both fighters boast impressive knockout ratios, making this contest one of the most compelling of the year.
Key points
- Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois are fighting at Co-op Live arena
- Both fighters have a 95% knockout ratio
- Wardley is the WBO world heavyweight champion
- Wardley has a draw and a knockout against Frazer Clarke
- The event has a sold-out crowd
Mentioned in this story
Co-op Live arenaEtihad Stadium
Fabio WardleyDaniel DuboisWBO World Heavyweight Championship
The Co-op Live arena is right next door to the Etihad Stadium. I walked past Manchester City’s home ground, with the crowd roaring in the final few minutes of their game against Brentford, and it felt a relief that the boxing tonight is inside. It’s pretty cold in Manchester this evening but that didn’t stop a few of the City security guards jumping around in glee when a very late goal made it 3-0. But attention is now firmly back on the boxing and the Co-op already feels crammed with a sold-out crowd.
It’s the least that Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois deserve for a fight that could be one of the most explosive and compelling heavyweight contests of the year. There is also a decent undercard and the celebs are drifting in slowly. Luke Littler has arrived but I was more interested to see Moses Itauma at ringside. I interviewed him a couple of months ago in Manchester. It was initially a bit of a challenge to get him to open up but, eventually, we got somewhere.
I think Itauma is the most interesting heavyweight at the moment – just as I think this fight between Wardley and Dubois is far more intriguing than the Fury v Joshua extravaganza later this year. That overblown scrap is about six or seven years too late. Tonight should be a tad more timely – and Itauma is backing his gym-mate, Wardley, to stop Dubois. We shall see …
Preview time: Donald McRae has set the scene as only he can. The undercard is under way but I encourage you to give this a read before the main event. Don will be providing us updates from ringside in Manchester.
double quotation markDaniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley are very different characters but, in the ring, they share a knockout ratio of 95% in the combined 42 fights they have won. The unbeaten Wardley has knocked out 19 opponents in his 20 victories while Dubois has stopped 21 of 22 vanquished rivals. It’s an impressive statistic which belies the vulnerability at the heart of each man.
Wardley, the WBO world heavyweight champion, comes from a white-collar boxing background with minimal experience as an amateur. The only blemish on his record is a draw in March 2024 with the Olympic medallist Frazer Clarke – whom he then knocked out with shocking brutality in the first round seven months later.
Q&A
What is the knockout ratio of Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois?
Both fighters share a knockout ratio of 95% in their combined 42 victories, with Wardley having 19 KOs in 20 wins and Dubois stopping 21 of 22 opponents.
Where is the Wardley vs Dubois boxing match taking place?
The match is taking place at the Co-op Live arena, located next to the Etihad Stadium in Manchester.
What is Fabio Wardley's boxing background?
Fabio Wardley comes from a white-collar boxing background and has minimal amateur experience, currently holding the WBO world heavyweight champion title.
How did Wardley perform against Frazer Clarke?
Wardley had a draw with Olympic medallist Frazer Clarke in March 2024 but later knocked him out in the first round of their rematch seven months later.