Fabio Wardley reveals ‘easy adjustment’ to gain revenge over Daniel Dubois in heavyweight cracker
Dubois pulled off a thrilling comeback victory to hand fellow Briton Wardley his first defeat to claim the IBF heavyweight world title
Fabio Wardley insists he has an “easy adjustment” to claim revenge over Daniel Dubois on Saturday in his pursuit of heavyweight gold in what promises to be another brutal fight.
Wardley came unstuck against Dubois earlier this year, dropping the IBF heavyweight world title in the first loss of his career after a crushing 11th round stoppage.
But Wardley had Dubois down twice in the fight and has vowed to make the right changes to succeed in the rematch.
“I feel great, when you suffer a loss, it's never part of the plan,” Wardley said. “The thought of it is worse than the reality. I want to put myself in the biggest tests, I was unlikely to get through this boxing game unscathed, undefeated, leaving like Floyd Mayweather Jr, I want to be in there with the best, I picked Daniel, it was a voluntary, you want to be in there with the best guys, it puts you in jeopardy, for things to go wrong, yes, it did on the night, but I can right those wrongs.
“We know where I went wrong, it didn't take a lot for me to know where I messed up. Some areas I didn't do too well, it's part of my growing. I have only had 26 odd, 27 odd fights in total. I'm still learning. No problem, I can go back to the drawing board and make the changes.
“This feels like my natural place, the underdog, talk of it being too soon, a repeat, worse than the first time. It's an echo of all the majority fights of my career. I've been pinned as the underdog, it's comfortable, a natural place. A weight has been lifted. Moving forward, no need to be stiff, now is the fun bit.
“A level of inexperience, overzealous, overconfident in the power I have in my right hand, it's an easy adjustment, calm down, work it round by round, at pace, and not a one-track mind with the right to end it. It's something we've worked on. If somebody wants to have a war with me, I'm more than happy to oblige, 9/10 I'm the one who initiates it, things will look slightly different.”
The winner of the fight is on track for a unification bout in 2027 and the options include: WBC title holder Agit Kabayel, IBF title holder Filip Hrgovic and WBA title holder Murat Gassiev, although Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua will battle for the WBA's 'super' title in December.
”It's what they want, a unification,” promoter Frank Warren noted. “To make big money next year, fight the best, by next year, a unified champion.
“Every one of these shows are selling out. It's a great time for heavyweight boxing, the winner will capitalise. They want to see the wars, the punch power. We'll find out on Saturday. It's exciting.”
