Josh Kelly delivers honest verdict on Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois

Josh Kelly has delivered an honest verdict on a fight between Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois.

Wardley is the current WBO heavyweight champion and is gearing up for his first defence. The Briton was upgraded to full champion status after Oleksandr Usyk decided to avoid a fight with him and vacated his belt.

The WBO ruler has only a white-collar boxing background, but he defeated Joseph Parker last time out by knockout and also did the same with Justis Huni last year, so he is on a good run of form.

However, he will now be up against ‘DDD’, who was at his peak in 2024, securing victories over the likes of Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua all by stoppage, but he was also stopped last time out against Usyk.

Speaking to talkSPORT, newly-crowned IBF super-welterweight champion Kelly shared his thoughts on the fight evenly.

“Obviously, I think for the first six rounds, Daniel is a live wire, but we know Fabio can be hit, hurt, get back up and then knock you out. He carries that power until late, he’s got the equaliser, as well as Daniel has, but I think Wardley comes across more unorthodox with his style,” Kelly said.

“Daniel is a lot more straightforward. He can move quite well, if he can hit him with them long range shot and hooks and stuff, Daniel, if he doesn’t move his feet and his head, he might find himself sat in front a bit and might get hurt. It’s a pick ’em fight, a stylistic match-up.”

Fabio Wardley will face Daniel Dubois in a blockbuster showdown in May.