Chantry-born Town-supporting Fabio Wardley is defending his WBO heavyweight title when he faces Daniel Dubois at Co-op Live in Manchester this evening (approx 11pm, live on DAZN).
Wardley, 31, was crowned WBO champion late last year after just 21 professional fights having started in white collar boxing at 19, taking part in four unlicensed bouts while working as a recruitment consultant before his first professional contest in 2017, aged 22.
His victory over Joseph Parker at the O2 in October took his record to 20 wins, 19 knockouts, and one draw, landing him the WBO interim heavyweight title, which was upgraded to full WBO champion a month later when Oleksandr Usyk vacated the title.
Dubois, 28, held the WBA version of the heavyweight title from 2022 to 2023 and the IBF belt from 2024 to 2025. The Londoner has won 22 of his 25 fights, 21 by KO, losing three.
Wardley, who watches Town home matches from the directors’ box alongside chairman and CEO Mark Ashton, is predicting he’ll take his victories tally to 21 and his knockouts total to 20 this evening.
"I’ll win by knockout,” he said. "I’ll go in there, provide entertainment and value for money for the fans. He is getting knocked out. I’ve done that to 95 per cent of my opponents and he’s just another one on the list.
"I’m going to clear him out. There will be no questions about it. I will land clean, land sharp and get him out of there.
"I hope he’s happy and healthy and that camp has gone well, he’s fresh and happy with life - they’re all ticks for me. I hope it’s the same for him, so let’s get it on and fight.”
Sergey Lapin, the chief executive of unbeaten unified WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight world champion Usyk’s promotional company Ready To Fight, says the Ukrainian could fight Wardley in the near future, assuming he beats Dubois.
"If Fabio Wardley proves himself at the highest level, he can definitely become part of that conversation,” he said.
However, for the moment Wardley’s focus is on tonight’s bout: "With Oleksandr himself fighting in a couple of weeks [against kickboxer Rico Verhoeven], it’s hard not to look ahead or look around at least and see what else could go on.
"But I’ve made sure it’s not going to distract me from Saturday night. Then we can look to the future."
Dubois, meanwhile, insists he will halt Wardley’s remarkable upward trajectory.
"I’m going to take him out, put him to sleep, take that belt,” he said.
"I’m just going to fight how I fight and what I do is put damage and bring the pain. That’s all I’m going to do.”
Despite that, he admits Wardley has impressed him: "He’s been a decent fighter, but I’m going to show there’s levels to this. But he’s been decent, take nothing away from him.”