Bellew and Hearn Split on Dubois vs Wardley Rematch Odds

Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley meet again on Saturday, October 17 at The O2 Arena, five months after one of 2026's best heavyweight fights. Dubois, now 23-3 with 22 knockouts, was on the floor twice early before turning the thing around and halting Wardley in the 11th to reclaim WBO gold and become a two-time heavyweight champion.

The question ahead of the rematch isn't whether it'll be good — it's how lopsided it should be on paper. Eddie Hearn thinks the answer is very. Speaking to DAZN, he called Wardley, who sits at 20-1-1 with 19 KOs and a #4 ranking, a 'massive underdog' second time around, which is a striking swing given Hearn actually backed him to win the first one.

Bellew Isn't Buying It

Tony Bellew pushed back hard. He put the fight at 60/40 in Dubois' favour and reminded Hearn of the obvious: Wardley dropped 'Triple D' twice before things unravelled. His point is simple — a man who can put the champion on the canvas in the opening rounds is not a massive underdog, no matter how the fight ended.

Hearn's counter was that those were flash knockdowns and Wardley 'took a pasting' over the distance. The finish came in the 11th, so it's hard to argue the fight didn't turn decisively in Dubois' favour once he weathered the early storm. Both things can be true: Wardley hurt him, then got worn down.

What's Actually at Stake

Beyond the tactical debate, Hearn framed this as a career-defining roll of the dice for the 31-year-old. He praised Wardley for triggering the rematch clause and reckons a win would be the jackpot — the kind of career-altering result that justifies stepping back into the fire against a man who's now beaten you.

The numbers back the theme. Dubois has stopped 22 of his 23 wins, so waiting on the scorecards against him is rarely the plan. Wardley's own 19 KOs from 20 victories mean neither man tends to hear the final bell. If the first fight is the blueprint, October 17 won't need many rounds to answer the argument.