Daniel Dubois stops Fabio Wardley in two rounds to retain WBO title

Fabio Wardley entered the rematch seeking to recover the WBO heavyweight title he had lost to Daniel Dubois in May. Guardian Sport reported that Wardley believed he could put right the mistakes of that first defeat.

Their previous meeting had given him reasons for hope. Dubois survived two knockdowns before stopping Wardley in the 11th round, according to TechRadar. The rematch would prove far shorter.

On October 16, both men weighed in at their career heaviest for the title rematch in London, BBC Sport reported.

On October 17, Dubois retained his WBO title at the O2 Arena. Sky Sports reported that he overwhelmed Wardley and ended the fight in the second round.

Wardley's corner threw in the towel, according to Guardian Sport. Express & Star described Wardley as barely throwing a shot and spending the contest trying to survive.

By October 18, attention had turned to Dubois's ambitions beyond the rematch. Express & Star reported that he wanted a trilogy fight with Oleksandr Usyk and the opportunity to avenge his previous defeats.

Dubois remains WBO heavyweight champion, with a second victory over Wardley that was much more decisive than their first. BBC Sport described the result as strengthening his position as Britain's leading heavyweight.

The immediate challenge is choosing his next opponent. Guardian Sport reported that Dubois was targeting lucrative fights against Hrgovic, Kabayel and Itauma. Al Jazeera also reported a challenge from IBO champion Hrgovic.

The next concrete development will be whether any of those possible fights becomes an agreed contest. The supplied coverage reports Dubois's interest in Usyk, but does not establish a confirmed opponent or date.

Moses Itauma is another name to follow. On October 19, Sky Sports identified Dubois and Itauma as a potential major British heavyweight rivalry, although that remains a future possibility rather than an announced fight.