Dubois Refuses Wardley's Fist Bump at London News Conference
Daniel Dubois declined a fist bump from world champion Fabio Wardley during a charged news conference in London, ahead of their world title bout scheduled for 9 May at Manchester's Co-op Live Arena.
Following extended exchanges between their camps, the fighters, who had been relatively composed until then, finally engaged with heightened intensity.
Wardley confidently asserted his dominance, stating,
"My power is proven. If there's time left on the clock, I'm taking you out of the fight."
The 31-year-old Wardley, boasting 19 stoppages in 20 wins, will defend his WBO title for the first time. He earned the interim title by defeating Joseph Parker and was later elevated to full champion status after Oleksandr Usyk vacated the belt.
Dubois, aged 28 and a former IBF champion, is coming off a significant knockout defeat to Usyk last summer.
Wardley commented on Dubois' previous performances,
"If you look back, when it gets dicey, he's not up for it."Dubois has faced criticism for allegedly conceding too readily in his three stoppage losses.
The news conference was held at Dutch Hall, a converted 16th-century church located centrally in London.
Dubois, known for his brevity, delivered concise responses but was unequivocal about his goal:
"Victory by knockout, by any means necessary."
During the face-off, Dubois averted his gaze first while Wardley smirked. When Wardley extended his fist as a sign of respect, Dubois declined the gesture.
Verbal Exchanges Between Camps
Prior to the face-off, Dubois appeared tense and stone-faced, glancing around at the stained-glass windows as their managers engaged in heated exchanges.
Sam Jones, representing Dubois, predicted a swift victory over Wardley, stating his fighter would "flatten" the Ipswich boxer.
In response, Wardley's manager Michael Ofo claimed Wardley would "destroy Daniel Dubois early." The verbal sparring intensified with Wardley smiling as the volume increased.
Ofo referenced recent changes in Dubois' training team, noting that after the loss to Usyk, Dubois briefly parted ways with coach Don Charles before quickly reinstating him.
Ofo remarked,
"It's going to be hard for Daniel to overcome all the things going on in his camp. The only person over there should be Stan [Dubois' father] because we know he makes all the decisions."
Charles retorted,
"Talk is cheap,"before engaging in his own verbal rebuttal.
Promoter Frank Warren intervened to restore order, stating,
"The winner of this will be fighting in a big stadium fight. But to get there, they have to lace them up and we'll see who is the best on the night. Both camps are passionate about their fighters, so it has all the ingredients of an amazing event."
Dubois' Fist Makes Headlines Again
Both fighters have impressive knockout records, with 95% of their wins coming via stoppage.
Dubois is not known for frequent media soundbites but often creates memorable moments. Before his September 2024 fight with Anthony Joshua, he famously banged the table with his fist. This time, he refrained from such gestures, which attracted similar attention.
Dubois appeared uncomfortable in the media spotlight, a sentiment evident during press duties and the news conference.
Conversely, Wardley is comfortable in the limelight and eager to engage in verbal exchanges.
The news conference began with more tension than anticipated, but beneath the rhetoric lies a genuine heavyweight contest. Wardley deserves credit for choosing a challenging opponent for his first title defense, and Dubois for opting against an easier fight following his loss to Usyk.
In just over ten weeks, the focus will shift from managers to two heavyweight punchers in the ring, each with knockout ratios of 95%.
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