Wardley Urges Dubois Into Firefight Before May 9 Wardley Vs Dubois

Fabio Wardley wants Wardley vs Dubois to turn into a straight firefight from the opening bell in Manchester on May 9. The WBO heavyweight world champion said he is not planning to let the fight settle, and he expects Daniel Dubois to meet him with the same approach.

Wardley And Dubois In Manchester

Wardley will defend his WBO heavyweight world championship against Dubois next month in Manchester, with both men carrying the kind of power that can end a title fight quickly. Dubois is the former IBF title holder, and he will be trying to become a two-time champion after losing that belt to Oleksandr Usyk.

The champion set out the plan in blunt terms. “We have all the intention as a team of getting straight in there and getting straight stuck in, getting into his face and making it a fight, making it a firefight,” Wardley said. “Just letting the guns go and seeing what lands.”

Dubois Brings His Own Ending Power

That approach matches the shape of the matchup. Dubois was the last man to beat Anthony Joshua, stopping him at Wembley Stadium in 2024, and Wardley said he is not expecting a long feeling-out process. “I'm not looking to waste any time and I'm hoping that Daniel's not either,” he said.

Wardley has also built his own record on clean finishes. He stopped Justis Huni late, halted Frazer Clarke early in their rematch, and beat Joseph Parker last year. Those results leave him in a fight where the first clean exchange could decide the night, not a bout built on patient rounds.

May 9 Stakes In Manchester

For readers tracking the title picture, the key development is simple: Wardley is not asking Dubois to box cautiously for a vacant opening. He is inviting him to engage immediately, and that makes May 9 a high-risk heavyweight championship fight in Manchester rather than a measured title defense.