Daniel Dubois retained his world heavyweight title after stopping British rival Fabio Wardley inside two rounds at London's O2 Arena. The 29-year-old's swift victory was far more decisive than their first encounter in May, positioning him for major unification bouts across the division.
IBF champion Filip Hrgovic entered the ring after the bout, with both fighters expressing interest in a rematch. Dubois stopped the Croatian in June 2024, but the 34-year-old Hrgovic subsequently claimed the vacant IBF belt against Moses Itauma in August. Hrgovic must first navigate mandatory challenger Frank Sanchez of Cuba, with promoter Frank Warren aiming to stage that defence in Croatia early next year.
"All those names are there to do a unification fight next year and that's what we'll be working on," Warren said regarding Dubois' potential options.
Dubois could also target the winner of the upcoming bout between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. The British pair are scheduled to clash at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on 11 December, with the main event expected in the early hours of 12 December. The contest, streamed on Netflix, saw about 80,000 tickets sell out within an hour. Warren said the vacant WBA 'super' title will be contested, though WBA 'regular' champion Murat Gassiev has questioned that move and called to fight the winner.
Elsewhere in the division, Germany's undefeated Agit Kabayel holds the WBC belt following Oleksandr Usyk's decision to vacate multiple titles in June. Kabayel will make his first defence against Nelson Hysa of Albania on 28 November. Usyk, who defeated Rico Verhoeven in May, is nearing retirement and seeking a final contest.
Further down the rankings, 21-year-old Itauma is expected to return in January after suffering his first professional defeat to Hrgovic. Former champion Joseph Parker is seeking a return after his provisional doping suspension was lifted in August, while Uzbekistan's Bakhodir Jalolov kept his unbeaten record intact by defeating Solomon Dacres.
