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Daniel Dubois could take an immediate rematch against Fabio Wardley or a fight against Agit Kabayel next

Daniel Dubois was crowned as the new WBO world heavyweight champion after stopping Fabio Wardley in the 11th round in Manchester; Dubois climbed off the canvas to halt Wardley after being floored twice; Promoter Frank Warren confirmed there was a rematch clause in the fight contract

Sunday 10 May 2026 10:22, UK

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Daniel Dubois had nothing but praise for Fabio Wardley following their sensational fight at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester for the WBO heavyweight belt.

Fabio Wardley could decide to enforce an immediate rematch with Daniel Dubois after losing his WBO heavyweight title in an epic fight in Manchester.

Dubois was crowned as the new WBO champion after climbing off the canvas twice to stop Wardley in the 11th round of a brutal all-British clash on Saturday night.

But promoter Frank Warren confirmed that a rematch clause had been inserted in the fight contract, meaning that Wardley could activate a return bout after losing the WBO belt in his first defence.

Daniel Dubois, Fabio Wardley
Image: Daniel Dubois stopped Fabio Wardley in the 11th round at Co-Op Live Arena

"There is a rematch clause in the contract." Warren told DAZN. "Let the dust settle, there's a lot of things happening in the heavyweight [division] and then we'll see."

When asked again about a potential rematch, Warren told Sky Sports: "It's up to them. It's up the fighters."

"I would [like to promote a rematch] but I'd like to see them before they do that have a real good rest, recharge their batteries and everything."

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Dubois had been stopped by Oleksandr Usyk in a rematch last July, but any questions about his appetite for battle were answered as he triumphed against Wardley.

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"He showed what he's all about," said Warren. "He showed his heart and his fighting spirit

"It's not the end of the world for Fabio either. It takes two to make a fight like that and there were times in there you thought Fabio may win the fight.

Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois in World Heavyweight bout
Image: Dubois climbed off the canvas twice in the early rounds before halting Wardley

"He's good enough to come back and he will come back, and we'll be behind him and we'll make sure we give him all the opportunities."

Dubois vs Kabayel for two world titles?

Agit Kabayel celebrates retaining the WBC interim world heavyweight title belt
Image: Agit Kabayel hopes to face Daniel Dubois with the WBC belt also on the line

Agit Kabayel was watching from ringside and voiced his desire to face Dubois in the near future.

Unified champion Oleksandr Usyk holds the WBC title, but Warren believes the Ukrainian could be stripped of the belt if he doesn't fight Kabayel after his next scheduled fight against Rico Verhoeven in Egypt on May 23.

"That's his choice [if Usyk wants to fight Kabayel next]," Warren told Sky Sports. "If he doesn't then he'll have to vacate the belt or get stripped."

Warren, who also promotes Kabayel, has admitted that a fight between the Germany-based fighter and Dubois would be easy to make.

"It would be, but Agit is the next one in. Easy way to do it - if he [Usyk] wants to vacate the belt, he [Kabayel] can fight the winner of this one."

The unbeaten Kabayel retained his WBC interim title with a third-round stoppage of Damian Knyba in January and is open to a world title unification fight against Dubois.

"I'm the No 1 contender of WBC," he told Sky Sports.

"First of all, I wait on the situation from the WBC, Rico vs Usyk and after maybe we will show.

"When Usyk gives me the belt I can fight with the winner of this fight, why not?"

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