Daniel Dubois Snaps at Fabio Wardley and Snubs Fist Bump as Surprising Rivalry Emerges
Daniel Dubois delivered an expletive-laden promise to Fabio Wardley and snubbed his opponent's fist bump during a fiery press conference on Wednesday, setting the stage for their WBO heavyweight title fight in Manchester on 9 May. The event, held in London, saw tempers flare between the teams of the two British boxers, with Dubois's advisor Sam Jones and Wardley's manager Michael Ofo engaging in a heated exchange that required intervention from Dubois's trainer Don Charles.
Press Conference Tensions Boil Over
Dubois, with a record of 22-3 and 21 knockouts, and Wardley, undefeated at 20-0-1 with 19 KOs, largely avoided the drama until their closing remarks. Wardley, 31, taunted Dubois by referencing his first professional loss to Joe Joyce in 2020, when Dubois took a knee due to eye socket damage, and highlighted the uncertainty in Dubois's camp after he ditched and then returned to trainer Don Charles. "My power is proven," Wardley declared. "First round, last round, one way or another; if there is time left on the clock, I'm taking you out of that fight. You're not making it to the final bell."
Wardley dismissed concerns about Dubois's training changes, stating, "One trainer, two trainers, no trainers – I couldn't give a s***. [Charles] is not going to get in the ring and help him. All it's going to be is: the bell is going to go, it will be me and Daniel, and I'm going to be staring in his face. I'll throw some bombs at him, and we're going to see if he can weather the storm – which, if we're looking at proven records... It proves when things get dicey, he is not really up for it."
Dubois Fires Back with Defiance
Dubois, 28, interjected sharply, responding, "F*** that! I've got what it takes mate. You're going to see on the night." The British heavyweights, both dressed smartly in suits, then engaged in a tense face-off that ended with Dubois looking away first and refusing Wardley's offer of a fist bump, further escalating the rivalry.
Background to the Title Fight
On 9 May in Manchester, Dubois will fight for the first time since being stopped by Oleksandr Usyk in July, while Wardley earned the interim WBO belt by stopping Joseph Parker in October and was elevated to full champion after Usyk vacated the title. Queensberry promoter Frank Warren, who manages both fighters, described the match-up as "one of the most-easiest fights to make" and predicted it would be a contender for fight of the year.
Dubois concluded the press conference with confidence, stating, "I'm full of confidence for this one, raring to go, and I've got to take his zero. I'll be the first to do it." The event highlighted not only the personal animosity between the boxers but also the high stakes involved, as both aim to solidify their positions in the heavyweight division.
