The British boxing great Prince Naseem Hamed has shared his prediction for the upcoming heavyweight clash between Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois. He suggests Dubois could put on one of his greatest performances of his career.
Wardley will put his WBO heavyweight title on the line against Dubois at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester on May 9. The 31-year-old faced Joseph Parker for the interim WBO heavyweight title in October. He knocked out Parker in 11 round. Later, he was elevated to WBO champion after Oleksandr Usyk chose to vacate the belt.
Ahead of the highly anticipated bout, many analysts and boxers alike are sharing their predictions, and Hamed chimed in with his.
Hamed predicts Dubois’ career-best performance vs Wardley
Speaking with Talksport Boxing, Hamed shared his prediction. He believes Dubois could rise to the occasion in what he sees as a crucial moment in his career and can put on a career-best fight.
“I think that this fight is going to show us and answer every question that you want. I think that you are going to see Daniel Dubois probably fight the fight of his life.”
Hamed pointed to Dubois’ physical attributes, particularly his punching power and body work, as key factors. He drew comparisons to Agit Kabayel, highlighting the effectiveness of body punching in the heavyweight division.
“I just think that you need to understand something, Daniel Dubois has got very heavy hands and he hits to the body very well, just a little bit like [Agit] Kabayel hits very well to the body as a heavyweight.”
Hamed asserted that Dubois could make it hard for Wardley, and also suggested that both fighters bring different skill sets, which could create an intriguing matchup
“So, I think that, if he boxes the way that he can fight, I think that he is going to make it very, very hard for Fabio. I just think that you are going to see the skillset of both of them and they are not going to match up.”
‘The Dynamite’ defended his IBF heavyweight title against Anthony Joshua by a fifth-round knockout in sep 2024 at Wembley Stadium. However, he lost his belt in a rematch with Usyk for the undisputed crown.
Both heavyweights enter the contest with serious knockout power, with Wardley and Dubois combining for 40 stoppage wins. That firepower has fueled expectations of an explosive main event, fittingly dubbed ‘Don’t Blink’ to reflect the likelihood of a quick finish.
The event will be broadcast live on DAZN pay-per-view