Wardley set to defend WBO heavyweight championship against Dubois on May 9

Fabio Wardley is poised to defend his heavyweight world championship against Daniel Dubois on May 9 in Manchester, as confirmed by a source to ESPN.

Discussions commenced last week regarding the all-British heavyweight bout, and while an official announcement has yet to be made, a source indicates that an agreement for the fight is nearing completion.

Ring Magazine was the first to report this development on Tuesday afternoon.

Negotiations have progressed swiftly, with both teams eager to facilitate the matchup, sources informed ESPN.

Wardley and Dubois, both under the banner of Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, have been seeking significant fights, with Dubois recently challenging his opponent on social media, urging him to “sign the contract.”

Wardley (20-0-1, 19 KOs) is coming off an 11th-round knockout victory over Joseph Parker in October, which earned him the WBO interim heavyweight title. He has since been promoted to full champion status and is now preparing for his inaugural title defense.

Dubois (22-3, 21 KOs) aims to recover from his devastating knockout loss to then-undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk last summer, which resulted in Dubois losing his IBF title. Usyk subsequently vacated the WBO title, which is now held by Wardley.