Daniel Dubois smashes through Fabio Wardley to win WBO heavyweight world championship rematch in the second round

Daniel Dubois smashed Fabio Wardley to defeat in the second round of their world championship rematch at London’s O2 Arena.

Dubois retained the WBO heavyweight title he won from Wardley in May in crushing style, picking up just where he left off in their first fight.

Dubois and Wardley were renewing hostilities only five months after a frenetic and ultimately brutal contest.

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Then London's Dubois had needed to rise twice from early knockdowns to punch out a savage 11-round victory over Wardley, hurting the Ipswich fighter even though Wardley was stopped on his feet.

Wardley, determined to win back his world title as soon as he could, exercised the rematch clause in his contract and forced this second fight to take place.

But Dubois snuffed out his hopes with brutal speed.

A powerful right cross from Dubois sent Wardley briefly down to one knee in the opening seconds of the first round. Wardley sprang back to his feet immediately, inviting the right uppercut that followed.

The referee administered a count, and that proved to be just a momentary reprieve. Dubois set about him with shuddering force for the rest of the round.

Dubois' jab rocketed in. Wardley missed with a wild right and the champion knocked him back on his heels. Dubois dashed his right down, hitting Wardley almost at will.

He had Wardley under terrible pressure at the end of the first and trainer Ben Davison climbed up onto the ring apron, moments away from pulling Wardley out as the bell chimed to end the round.

The champion continued his onslaught in the second. Wardley couldn't escape from those thunderous punches and he swayed, pained back into the ropes.

Another Dubois cross connected clean, with such force it loosened Wardley's legs beneath him. Bravely he kept himself upright. But he could not stave off the attack.

An unrelenting Dubois positioned his prey in a corner and went in for a finish. He hacked right hooks over and lashed in huge punches to the head.

He hammered those shots into him, jolting Wardley's head on his neck with a salvo of stunning punches, until Wardley's trainer Davison could leave it no longer. He threw in the towel and the referee rushed in to end it.

'Bad intentions from the beginning'

"I had bad intentions from the beginning," Dubois said. "Our back was against the wall first time. We just had to go out there and show we meant business tonight."

Wardley reflected: "It's never fun to lose. It is what it is, I've always thrown myself in with the biggest, toughest, meanest guys around, there's no shame in testing yourself against the best.

"Daniel is testament to coming again and I'll come again."

On the undercard Bakhodir Jalolov, a two-time Olympic super-heavyweight gold medallist, showcased just what makes him so formidable as he hammered out a 10 round unanimous decision victory over Solomon Dacres.

But he also displayed what can make him so frustrating to watch. The towering southpaw controlled virtually the whole bout and struck Dacres over early in the fifth round.

The knockdown was superb, Jalolov using his right to take Dacres' left glove away from his guard, opening up a path for the Uzbek's booming left cross - a shot that sent Dacres to the canvas and bloodied his nose.

But Jalolov didn't capitalise and continued to work in single shots, albeit excellent single shots, as he dominated without turning up the pressure, winning 99-91 and 99-90 twice.

20-year-old Irish heavyweight prospect Adam Olaniyan made short work of journeyman Dan Garber.

In his fifth pro fight, Olaniyan maintained his 100 percent finish rate stopping Garber in the second round.

Busy without rushing his work, Olaniyan's right cranked Garber's back into a corner post at the end of the first round.

He picked up from there for the second, trapping Garber on the ropes and putting him down with another heavy cross.

Garber's corner threw in the towel, then threw in a second. But the referee kicked them out the ring and Garber tried to fight on. He was though promptly crumpled a second time. After rising unsteadily the referee waved it off at 1-15.

In a British and Commonwealth lightweight title fight Michael Gomez Jnr looked to have dominated Louie O'Doherty over 12 rounds, only to be held to a majority draw.

(c) Sky Sports 2026: Daniel Dubois smashes through Fabio Wardley to win WBO heavyweight world championship rematch in the second round