On Saturday, Daniel Dubois defends his WBO heavyweight title in an immediate rematch with Fabio Wardley, and former super-middleweight world champion George Groves has cast his verdict on the battle.
Back in May, Dubois silenced those who doubted his resilience when he bounced back from two early knockdowns to dominate Wardley, before earning the round 11 stoppage to become a two-time world champion.
Wardley was quick to activate his rematch clause and force a second meeting – despite absorbing enormous punishment in their initial affair – and he now takes up the role as challenger for what will Dubois’ first title defence in his second reign atop the division.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ ‘Toe2Toe Podcast’, Groves doubted Wardley’s assessment of the first fight and declared his belief that ‘DDD’ is superior to the Ipswich fan-favourite in a number of key areas.
“I have seen him say ‘I caught him, I hurt him, I blew it. It was mine to lose,’ and I don’t think that is the case, to be honest. I think that it was almost Dubois’ to lose.
“Dubois is the better boxer, he has better movement, faster hands, they both can crack but Dubois has got crazy power.”
Continuing, Groves went on to state that Dubois should win comfortably, but admitted that the champion cannot afford to be complacent.
“Really, it is [about] what is going on in Daniel’s head. If he has the mentality of, ‘I beat this guy, all I have got to do it show up, I am a better boxer,’ then he might come unstuck.
“Let’s get it straight, Wardley has no amateur pedigree and is a very limited boxer, but very effective with the way that he is. He is big, strong, powerful, game and maybe has a slight awkwardness to his style.
“Dubois figured that out last time and really, when you think about him getting dropped in the first and the third round, it was a special performance from him because he did all of that concussed, whilst buzzed.
“I think that, if he shows up, he walks it.”
Dubois-Wardley II takes place this weekend, supported by a British lightweight title bout involving Louie O’Doherty and Michael Gomez Jr in the co-main event.
