Daniel Dubois stops Fabio Wardley in second round to retain WBO title

Fabio Wardley entered the rematch trying to recover the WBO heavyweight title he lost to Daniel Dubois in May. Ahead of Saturday's fight, Guardian Sport reported that Wardley believed he could "right those wrongs".

There was plenty to put right, but also a reason for Wardley to believe he could trouble the champion. According to TechRadar, Dubois survived two knockdowns in their first meeting before stopping Wardley in the 11th round.

On October 16, the final preparations brought a shared milestone: both fighters weighed in at career-heaviest weights. BBC Sport reported the weigh-in results ahead of their Saturday rematch in London.

Wardley's preparations were framed around redemption. In its October 16 preview, Guardian Sport reported his prediction of a "crazy night", five months after the brutal first contest.

On October 17, the rematch at the O2 Arena produced a much shorter fight. Sky Sports reported that Dubois defeated Wardley in the second round.

Wardley's corner threw in the towel as Dubois overwhelmed him, according to Guardian Sport. CBS Sports described the finish as a second-round technical knockout, confirming Dubois had retained his heavyweight title.

Dubois remains the WBO heavyweight world champion. Sky News confirmed his successful defence against Wardley at the O2 Arena.

The contrast with May is clear: their first meeting stretched into the 11th round, while the rematch ended in the second. Wardley's bid to reverse that earlier defeat instead brought another stoppage loss, with BBC Sport describing the result as strengthening Dubois's standing as Britain's leading heavyweight.