Wardley says early knockdowns led to defeat by Dubois in rematch

Fabio Wardley believes dropping Daniel Dubois twice contributed to his defeat before an 11th-round stoppage in their first fight. The British heavyweights will meet again on October 17 at London’s O2 Arena, five months after Dubois won the WBO title.

Wardley says the early knockdowns changed his approach. After putting Dubois down in the opening round and again in the third, he began treating the contest as if the outcome was already settled and focused too heavily on ending it quickly.

That urgency made his right hand easier to anticipate. Rather than setting up his power, Wardley repeatedly tried to land it from distance, while Dubois recovered behind his jab and regained control of the range.

Wardley also believes he failed to make enough of the moments when Dubois was hurt. His next challenge will be to bring more variation, with attacks to the body and repeated lead hooks offering alternatives to a single heavy right hand.

The first bout was scheduled for 12 rounds, but Wardley’s pursuit of a decisive finish left him using energy too quickly. An early knockdown gave him an advantage, yet he did not turn it into a measured performance on the scorecards before Dubois gradually took charge.

The short gap between the fights has also prompted questions about Wardley’s condition after the punishment he absorbed before the stoppage. He has rejected that concern and accepted full responsibility for the loss, saying he has no excuses ahead of the rematch.

Dubois enters the second meeting having survived Wardley’s strongest attacks, restored control with his jab and stopped him late. Wardley’s admission places the focus on whether he can make better decisions if he again lands heavily in the early rounds.