“I really struggle to see past Fabio Wardley now because he seems to find a way. I’ve seen vulnerabilities from Daniel in the past,” said Jordan on talkSport Boxing.
Jordan’s lean toward Wardley is likely due to Fabio’s showing that he can be hit, hurt, and get back up. In boxing, that “dog” in a fighter often trumps technical ability when the chips are down.
Dubois remains a threat in the opening stages. Jordan pointed to the former IBF champion’s ability to change a fight early, especially if he can establish his jab and force exchanges.
“His big opportunity comes in those first six rounds. He’ll roll the dice early and take the fight to Wardley.”
Simon’s point about Dubois needing to get to Wardley early is the crux of the fight. If Dubois can’t find a home for that right hand in the first four to six rounds, the psychological ghosts of his past might start to reappear.
Simon’s skepticism about Daniel stems from those “breaking points.” Whether it was the eye injury against Joe Joyce or the way he went down from an Oleksandr Usyk jab, there’s a narrative that once the fight gets uncomfortable, Dubois looks for an exit.
Simon is betting on Wardley’s mental fortitude and unorthodox resilience over Dubois’ textbook power, and there is a lot of evidence to back that up.
On the undercard, David Morrell returns against Zak Chelli. Morrell has built a following among U.S. fans, but this continues a run of fights focused on activity rather than stepping in with the top names.
The event streams on DAZN pay-per-view at 1:00 p.m. ET from Manchester, England.