Brief
Dubois stops Wardley in 11th round to retain WBO heavyweight title
The British heavyweight champion survived an early knockdown and stopped Wardley in the 11th round at London’s O2 Arena.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Daniel Dubois retained the WBO heavyweight title on Saturday 17 October at the O2 Arena in London, stopping Fabio Wardley in the 11th round after an early knockdown.
What happened
The main‑event bout began around 10.30 pm BST. Wardley knocked Dubois down inside the opening 10 seconds, but the champion recovered and regained control. Dubois dropped Wardley in the third round, and the fight continued until the referee halted the contest in the 11th round.
What the reports add
Standard.co.uk noted that Wardley had never lost as a professional before this defeat, while the Independent highlighted that Dubois survived two knockdowns in the first 20 seconds of the May encounter and stopped Wardley in the 11th round then as well. Both outlets confirmed the fight was shown exclusively on DAZN pay‑per‑view at £24.99, with the option to watch via the DAZN Ultimate Tier subscription.
What was said
Standard.co.uk quoted the live‑blog description: “Wardley was courageous as he was stopped in the 11th, having dropped Dubois in the third round in an electric start.” The Independent’s live coverage noted the question of whether Wardley could exact revenge after his first loss to Dubois.
How it came about
Dubois entered the bout as the reigning WBO champion, having outlined a six‑fight plan to become undisputed heavyweight champion in a Felo News article on 12 October (Dubois sets six‑fight roadmap to undisputed heavyweight crown). The rematch was scheduled after Dubois stopped Wardley in the 11th round of their May meeting, a result referenced in Felo’s earlier coverage of the fight (Dubois defends WBO heavyweight title against Wardley at London O2). Both fighters are British, and the event was promoted as a star‑studded heavyweight showdown in south‑east London.
Key facts
- Daniel Dubois retained the WBO heavyweight title by stopping Fabio Wardley in the 11th round. (standard.co.uk)
- The fight took place on 17 October 2026 at the O2 Arena in London. (independent.co.uk)
- The bout was streamed live on DAZN pay‑per‑view for £24.99, also available on the DAZN Ultimate Tier. (independent.co.uk)
Timeline
- 2026-05-XX — Dubois stopped Wardley in the 11th round of their first encounter.
- 2026-10-12 — Felo News reported Dubois' six‑fight plan to become undisputed heavyweight champion.
- 2026-10-17 — Dubois vs Wardley 2 heavyweight title rematch at the O2 Arena.
Sources
- [1] standard.co.uk
- [2] independent.co.uk
