Newly crowned WBO heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley is expected to make his first defense of his title in the spring against a still-to-be-determined opponent. His promoter Frank Warren says it’ll be someone in “the top 10” that Wardley (20-0-1, 19 KOs) faces.
Earlier this week, on November 17th, the WBO elevated Wardley to full champion after the previous belt-holder, Oleksandr Usyk, relinquished the title rather than defend against him. It was a smart move by him because there’s a possibility the 38-year-old would have lost to Wardley.
Wardley’s Next Opponent Trio
- Daniel Dubois
- Filip Hrgovic
- Derek Chisora
The most appealing of those three would be former IBF heavyweight champion Dubois (22-3 21 KOs). He’s coming off a humiliating fifth-round knockout loss to Usyk on July 19, 2025, and it might not be the ideal fight for ‘Dynamite’ to take under the current circumstances.
Daniel, 28, didn’t look mentally engaged during the Usyk clash. If he’s still haunted by that defeat, putting him in with Wardley would be the worst thing Queensberry could do. The way he performed against Usyk, his career could get derailed by Wardley, who could blast him out in two or three rounds.
Chisora: A Laughable Option
Using 41-year-old Chisora (36-13, 23 KOs) as Wardley’s first challenger would lead to worldwide ridicule, as he doesn’t rate a world-title fight. He hasn’t beaten any highly rated fighters since his questionable 12-round split decision win over then 41-year-old Kubrat Pulev on July 9, 2022. Many boxing fans saw Chisora as the loser in that fight, as did I. The fight took place in London, England.
Better Options: Sanchez, Torrez Jr.
To keep the momentum going with Wardley’s career, he needs to focus on fighting one of these names next:
- Frank Sanchez
- Filip Hrgovic
- Richard Torrez Jr.
“Next for him will be a defence of the title, so he’ll have someone who’s ranked in the top 10,” promoter Frank Warren said to Sky Sports about Fabio Wardley. “Hopefully, we’ll do that in early spring.”
Wardley Needs Fresh Blood
There are only three good options in the WBO’s top 15 rankings. The rest of them are a mixed bag of older, played-out heavyweights and some that would likely not be interested in fighting Wardley. He needs to steer clear of defending 40+ year-old heavyweights.
“They are all good fights. You never see him in a boring fight. Every time he gets in the ring, it’s pure excitement,” said Warren about Wardley. “His last three knockouts would probably be the number one, two, and three knockouts of the year.
Last Updated on 11/19/2025
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