Official: Wardley and Dubois to clash for world title in Manchester

British boxing is gearing up for one of the most anticipated events of 2026.

Details: It has been officially confirmed that Fabio Wardley will make the first defense of his WBO World Heavyweight title against former champion Daniel Dubois. The bout is scheduled for May 9 at the state-of-the-art Co-op Live arena in Manchester.

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Fabio Wardley (21-0-1) was elevated to full champion status last November after Oleksandr Usyk vacated the WBO belt. In his most recent outing, Wardley made a statement by knocking out the seasoned Joseph Parker.

For Daniel Dubois (22-3), this will mark his first appearance since suffering a tough defeat to Usyk last year.

Recall: Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk showed support for skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych after his disqualification from the 2026 Olympic Games.