Fabio Wardley could decide to force an immediate rematch with Daniel Dubois after losing his WBO heavyweight title in an epic fight in Manchester.
Dubois was crowned the new WBO champion after climbing off the canvas twice to stop Wardley in the 11th round of a brutal British clash on Saturday night.
But promoter Frank Warren confirmed a rematch clause had been inserted into the fight contract, meaning Wardley could activate a return fight after losing the WBO belt in his first defence.
“There is a rematch clause in the contract.” Warren told DAZN. “Let the dust settle, there are a lot of things happening in the heavyweight division [division] and then we’ll see.”
Asked again about a potential rematch, Warren told Sky Sports: “It’s up to them. It’s up to the fighters.”
“I would [like to promote a rematch] but I want to see them before they do that they have a really good rest, recharge their batteries and everything.”
Dubois had been stopped by Oleksandr Usyk in a rematch last July, but any questions about his fighting spirit were answered when he prevailed against Wardley.
“He showed what he’s about,” Warren said. “He showed his heart and his fighting spirit
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Daniel Dubois had nothing but praise for Fabio Wardley after their sensational fight at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester for the WBO heavyweight belt.
“It’s not the end of the world for Fabio either. It takes two to make a fight like that and there were times in there you thought Fabio could win the fight.
“He’s good enough to come back and he’ll come back and we’ll be behind him and we’ll make sure we give him every opportunity.”
Dubois vs Kabayel for two world titles?
Agit Kabayel hopes to face Daniel Dubois with the WBC belt also on the line
Agit Kabayel watched from ringside and expressed his desire to meet Dubois in the near future.
Unified champion Oleksandr Usyk holds the WBC title, but Warren believes the Ukrainian could be stripped of the belt if he does not fight Kabayel after his next scheduled fight against Rico Verhoeven in Egypt on May 23.
“It’s his choice [if Usyk wants to fight Kabayel next],” Warren told Sky Sports. “If he doesn’t, he’ll have to vacate the belt or be stripped.”
Warren, who also promotes Kabayel, has admitted that a fight between the German-based fighter and Dubois would be easy to make.
“It would be, but Agit’s next. Easy way to do it—if he [Usyk] wants to vacate the belt, he [Kabayel] can fight the winner of this one.”
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Zak Chelli produced one of the biggest shocks British boxing has seen in years when he stepped in at short notice and knocked out highly rated Cuban David Morrell. Match highlights courtesy of DAZN.
The unbeaten Kabayel retained his interim WBC title with a third-round stoppage of Damian Knyba in January and is open to a world title fight against Dubois.
“I’m the No. 1 contender of the WBC,” he told Sky Sports.
“First of all I am waiting for the situation from the WBC, Rico vs Usyk, and after maybe we will show it.
“When Usyk gives me the belt, I can fight the winner of this fight, why not?”