Eddie Hearn has given a knockout prediction for Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois, which takes place this Saturday at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena.
Wardley will make the first defence of his world title after being elevated from ‘interim’ to full WBO champion towards the end of last year.
This followed his 11th-round triumph over Joseph Parker in October, when the Ipswich man showed tremendous resolve to keep plugging away in the heat of battle.
Such is the nature of his fighting style – the 31-year-old has remained unbeaten through sheer doggedness and athletic prowess while developing his craft on the job.
Those qualities were perhaps most evident in his previous outing, when Wardley received a comprehensive boxing lesson before stopping Justis Huni in round 10.
Dubois, meanwhile, shares a 95% knockout-to-win ratio with his next opponent, but is widely regarded for possessing better footwork and a more effective jab.
The 28-year-old’s best victories came against Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua, who both failed to hear the final bell in 2024, yet ‘Dynamite’ has not returned to the win column since losing to Oleksandr Usyk.
In their rematch last July, Dubois fell victim to a fifth-round stoppage and, as a result, was relieved of his IBF title.
Irrespective of recent form, though, Matchroom promoter Hearn has told Boxing News, as well as other media outlets, that he struggles to back against Wardley.
“I’ve backed against Wardley about the last five times, and he’s proved me wrong the last five times.
“I don’t even really want to back him, but if you ask me honestly, I believe Wardley will stop Daniel Dubois late in the fight.”
Hearn promoted Wardley before his seventh-round finish over David Adeleye in 2023, which preceded stoppages over Frazer Clarke, Huni and Parker.