Daniel Dubois kept his message simple ahead of Saturday’s WBO heavyweight title fight with Fabio Wardley, insisting he is “focused” and “dialled in” despite another uncomfortable week in front of the microphones.
Dubois has never looked fully at ease in interview settings, and Wardley’s manager, Michael Ofo, accused him of being unprofessional after he reportedly walked out of several media duties during fight week. Still, Dubois maintained that his attention remains on the fight itself.
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Wardley, who makes the first defense of his WBO heavyweight title, responded lightly to Dubois’ comments but knows the version of Dubois in front of a microphone is very different from the puncher he will face in the ring.
Wardley, 20-0-1 with 19 knockouts, has built his career by taking risky steps against Frazer Clarke, Justis Huni and Joseph Parker. He admitted that his rise has moved quickly, but said he has always wanted the biggest and toughest tests available.
The champion also acknowledged that his world title reign looks different from the usual story, having been elevated after Oleksandr Usyk vacated the belt. For Wardley, hearing “and still” on Saturday would provide the validation he is chasing.
Dubois, who experienced a similar title upgrade before proving himself with a stoppage win over Anthony Joshua, closed with a direct prediction: “A win by any means necessary. That’s it. I’m here for business. Let’s fight.”