Fabio Wardley will aim to unify the heavyweight division with Oleksandr Usyk after his fight with Daniel Dubois.
Wardley was promoted to WBO champion after the Ukrainian vacated the belt. However, Wardley will still try to seek a match with the man who holds the WBA, WBC and IBF titles.
Usyk is an Olympic gold medalist, undisputed champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, and is still undefeated as a professional.
Wardley is a more unconventional heavyweight champion. Initially a “white collar” boxer, he had no amateur experience but rose to the top as a professional.
He wants to fight Usyk. “It’s just the thought process,” Wardley told Sky Sports News.
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Boxing trainer Gary Logan reveals the key to victory between Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois in Sunday’s WBO heavyweight bout.
“In terms of putting people up against Oleksandr Usyk, we’ve tried just about everything, from the unconventional style of Tyson Fury to the well-educated style of strong fighters like (Anthony) Joshua and Dubois.
“Maybe some white-collar kid should throw him a curveball and see what he comes up with.”
He will have to overcome a tough challenge against former world champion Daniel Dubois, the hard-hitting puncher who brutally knocked out Joshua in 2024.
“I want to be successful and I want to knock off the big names,” Wardley said. “I have one belt and I’m not going to stop there. This match itself is a statement of that.”
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Fabio Wardley says he is preparing for a hard-fought battle with domestic rival Daniel Dubois as he looks to defend his WBO world heavyweight title.
Dubois banned Usyk from speaking about his loss. “It was just an experience for me and I was learning things. It’s in the past now. I feel better now,” he told Sky Sports News. “I’m not thinking about that. I’m thinking about the next game.
“I will forget all that nonsense and become a future person.”
Wardley is fighting for his title and future plans against a very dangerous opponent. But it’s a challenge he enjoys.
“No one puts more pressure on my shoulders than me. No one is more critical than me, no one is harder on myself. No one expects more from myself than I do, and you can see that in my games and my performance,” Wardley said.
“I have a never-give-up mentality that says, ‘I’m going to do this, I’m going to get through this, I’m going to be successful.’ And again, whether I’m the winner or the underdog, it doesn’t change anything for me. I’m always going to have that mindset and mentality.”
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Trainer Shane McGuigan outlines what former fighter Daniel Dubois needs to do to win his WBO world heavyweight title fight against Fabio Wardley.
Dubois is similarly determined to win another version of the World Heavyweight Championship. “This is the pinnacle for me. This is the world title, so this is the title for me,” he said.
“It’s really the biggest moment of my life. It’s a huge thing for me and my team to be in another world title game. He’s the perfect opponent to face and I’m looking forward to it.”
“I live for this moment. I feel alive when I’m in a so-called pressure situation. I’m ready for it.”
Watch Chris Billum-Smith vs Ryan Rozicki live on Sky Sports on June 6th.
