Daniel Dubois could be back in the ring either in an immediate rematch with Fabio Wardley or in a showdown with Agit Kabayel after his dramatic win in Manchester.
Dubois was crowned WBO heavyweight champion after surviving two knockdowns and stopping Wardley in the 11th round of an all-British title fight at the Co-op Live Arena. The victory answered questions about his resilience following a stoppage loss to Oleksandr Usyk last July; his trainer Don Charles was even seen urging him on after a sluggish start.
Promoter Frank Warren confirmed a rematch clause is in the contract, meaning Wardley can trigger an instant return bout after losing the belt. “There is a rematch clause in the contract,” Warren told DAZN. He later added to Sky Sports that the decision “is up to them. It’s up the fighters,” and that he would like to promote a rematch but wants both men to rest and recharge first.
Warren praised Dubois for his performance. “He showed what he’s all about,” Warren said. “He showed his heart and his fighting spirit. It’s not the end of the world for Fabio either. He’s good enough to come back and he will come back, and we’ll be behind him.”
While a Wardley rematch is possible, another attractive option is a fight with Germany-based Agit Kabayel, who was watching from ringside and publicly expressed interest in meeting Dubois.
Unified champion Oleksandr Usyk currently holds the WBC title, but Warren suggested that Usyk could be stripped or forced to vacate the belt if he does not face Kabayel after his next scheduled bout. Usyk is expected to fight Rico Verhoeven in Egypt on May 23. “That’s his choice [if Usyk wants to fight Kabayel next],” Warren said. “If he doesn’t then he’ll have to vacate the belt or get stripped.”
Warren, who also promotes Kabayel, said a Kabayel-versus-Dubois fight would be straightforward to make if the WBC belt becomes available: “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.”
Kabayel, who retained his WBC interim title with a third-round stoppage of Damian Knyba in January, reiterated his position. “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?”
Any next move for Dubois will depend on the rematch clause, the fighters’ preferences and recovery, and the decisions of the WBC and other champions. For now, Dubois leaves Manchester as the new WBO champion, with potential big fights on the horizon.