As heavyweight titleholder Fabio Wardley gets set to defend his strap against Daniel Dubois on May 9, he talks to iFL TV about going straight into a tough voluntary world title defense and the big fight he’s hoping will come his way afterwards with a win. Here’s some of what he had to say below.
Wardley on believing Dubois will fold when it gets tough
“If you have something in you, you have something in you. If it’s there — okay, you may have covered it up or bypassed it in a certain fight one way or another — but if it’s in there it’s in there. If it’s in you to
give up, you just need the right person in front of you to bring it out.”
On facing Dubois in his first title defense instead of an easier opponent
“Why have an easy touch?…I know it’s a voluntary and I can pick within the top 15 and yeah, okay, maybe there’s some people in there who are not as dangerous as Daniel but ultimately at this level there’s no easy touches. I’m not fighting some journeyman or bum that’s just rolled in off the street. Like, I’m still fighting an actual proper athlete who’s going to work their way to the top 15 somehow. So if you’re in for a penny, you’re in for a pound, mate. Let’s go.”
On if Dubois is the biggest puncher he’s faced
“Yes. Hardest puncher.”
On if he’d be annoyed if Usyk fought Kabayel instead of him
“Yeah, I would. Again, I can understand it — well I can’t, actually…If I have a different hat on and I’m talking commercial draw, I don’t think Kabayel’s a bigger commercial draw than me. So monetarily, are you making more money from him? No. So then what does that mean then? What are you doing it for, or did you pick it because you think it’s an easier fight than me?
“I can understand picking a Wilder because US market, more money, ticks a lot of boxes. But Kabayel is like, why?…So I would be annoyed, but let’s hope that doesn’t happen.”
