Fabio Wardley refused to blame a quick turnaround for his second-round stoppage defeat to Daniel Dubois on Saturday night, saying he failed to execute his game plan in their heavyweight rematch at London’s O2 Arena.
Asked whether returning five and a half months after their punishing first fight had been too soon, Wardley dismissed the suggestion.
“No, not in the slightest. Not at all.”
Wardley had entered the rematch looking to make adjustments after losing their first meeting. Instead, Dubois hurt him within the opening seconds, leaving the challenger struggling before he could establish any offense.
“I didn’t execute the game plan properly tonight. That was all. I hold my hands up to that. It’s entirely down to me.”
Wardley didn’t explain which changes he had intended to make. Getting caught so early left him trying to survive, with little opportunity to settle down and put those ideas to work.
His willingness to accept responsibility was clear. He credited Dubois’s preparation and declined to blame his team.
“When I step through the ropes, it’s only myself. It’s only me and me bouncing around in the ring and doing everything. There’s no blame to be passed around.”
Wardley took some pride in avoiding being knocked out cold, but staying upright offered limited consolation. His toughness couldn’t compensate for the punches getting through, and the stoppage left him with a second defeat to the same opponent.
Dubois’s trainer, Don Charles, believes Wardley should take considerable time away before attempting another comeback.
“He should have a long-deserved rest now. Really take off to 12 months, potentially 18 months. He’s a young man.”
Speaking to Boxing News, Charles recommended a couple of tune-up fights after that break. He still considers Wardley dangerous against other heavyweights, arguing that Dubois’s combination of style and punching power made this a particularly difficult fight.
Wardley pointed to Dubois’s own recovery from defeats as encouragement for his future.
“Daniel’s a testament to coming up short and coming again, and I’ll be looking to do the exact same thing.”
That return will require defensive improvements alongside renewed confidence. Wardley has already shown he’ll face dangerous opponents. Giving himself time and suitable fights to correct what went wrong would offer a better route back than another immediate test of his toughness.