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Irish hot prospect Adam Olaniyan is next up as the heavyweight undercard action continues. It’s the 20-year-old’s fifth fight, taking on veteran southpaw Dan Garber. What a great experience for Olaniyan in front of a very full-looking O2!
Dubois v Wardley: tale of the tape. You know the classic meme of two identical Spider-Men pointing at each other? Well, both Brits are 6ft 5in, orthodox sluggers with a 78-inch wingspan.
Wardley (17st 10lb) is slightly lighter, while Dubois (18st 2lb) is two years younger at 29. But physically this pair are much of a muchness.
Fabio has a record of W20, L1, D1 (19 KOs), while the WBO champion has a ledger of W23 L3 (22 KOs). Wardley has gone the 12-round distance once, Dubois never has, but he does boast greater experience at this level.
Jalolov defeats Dacres by unanimous decision!
Bakhodir Jalolov, the two-time Olympic super-heavyweight gold medallist, continues his curiosity of a professional career by cruising past Solomon Dacres. Jalolov decked the brave Brit to the canvas in round five, but then was content to settle for a dominant 10-round decision.
The Uzbek looks to have it all: a huge, powerful, skilled southpaw. But he somehow fails to inspire. I can’t work it out. Anyway, he moves his pro record to a pristine 18-0. He’ll be a keen watcher of the main event.
Preview time: Donald McRae – who is at the O2 Arena tonight – has set the scene in style. Treat yourself to his analysis before the main event. Don will deliver some updates from ringside as the night goes on.
Five months ago, watching a likely Fight of the Year between Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley in Manchester, a ringside seat offered an initially thrilling insight into the raw brutality of heavyweight boxing.
It was easy to be swept up in the drama as Wardley, defending his WBO title, dropped his more seasoned and favoured rival in the first and third rounds. But Dubois, whose courage had been questioned before, got up both times and fought back with admirable resolve.
The heavyweight action is already under way in London – unbeaten Uzbek amateur standout Bakhodir Jalolov taking on Britain’s Solomon Dacres in a 10 rounder.
Meanwhile, Daniel Dubois emerges from a sleek vehicle, wearing a tracksuit and an inscrutable facial expression, before wandering into the arena. Fabio Wardley has already arrived. The champ and challenger are here!
Preamble
Tyson Fury versus Anthony who? Yes, Britain’s biggest-name heavyweights belatedly do battle in December – but if you want a better bet for an all-action fight, it’s tonight’s rematch between Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley for the WBO title.
The first contest was an astonishing slugfest in which Dubois was knocked down after 10 seconds, got dropped again in round three, but eventually bludgeoned a somehow-still-standing Wardley to defeat in the 11th. It was “like a Rocky film”, marvelled Frank Warren, a boxing promoter with no need to resort to embellishment.
The sequel takes place only five months later and a key question is whether Wardley has fully recovered from his brutal beating, which made for uncomfortable viewing by the end. The Ipswich man with the Cinderella backstory and a pugilist’s nose has shown mental fortitude and heroic durability on his rise from white-collar boxer to world-title level. Both will be tested as he looks to reverse his first defeat.
Strangely for such a wild brawl, Dubois’ jab was the key punch of the first bout. The Londoner used it as a ramrod to tee up his punishing right hand, whereas Wardley failed to set the table for power punches. “A victim of my own success,” reckons Wardley, who says he was guilty of overconfidence after almost stopping Dubois. “He’s not in my league, not on my level,” counters his rival.
Both Brits possess fight-ending power, as shown by their 41 knockouts in a combined 43 pro wins. Dubois has lost three times (once to Joe Joyce in an early-career upset, twice to Oleksandr Usyk) but appears dialled in now. Wardley’s only blemish aside from the defeat by Dubois is a draw with Frazer Clarke – but, Daniel be warned: he blew Clarke away in round one in a rematch to show his gift for self-improvement.
We expect ringwalks at around 10.30pm (BST). Then the in-ring fireworks soon afterwards. Do stay with us for live buildup and updates!
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