Daniel Dubois has promised to take out “trash” Fabio Wardley and make the world heavyweight champion eat his words in Manchester on Saturday night.
The WBO belt will be on the line at Co-op Live and a fired-up Dubois (22-3, 21KOs) is eager to get in the ring after being riled by a throwaway remark from Wardley in an interview with DAZN.
Wardley (20-0-1, 19KOs) claimed Dubois would be a “bin man” if the London heavyweight was not a boxer and it has sparked a tense fight week.
An unprompted and intense face-off occurred after Dubois stuck around to watch Wardley in Wednesday’s open workout.
During Thursday’s animated press conference at Co-op Live, further verbal blows were traded between the British duo and a determined Dubois is desperate to bounce back from defeat to Oleksandr Usyk last July with a blockbuster display in Manchester.
“Well, I am going to take out the trash. I am the dustman, he is the trash mate. I’ll take out the trash,” Dubois said.
“I shared the ring with a top southpaw, a top heavyweight in Usyk, the best of his generation. I am a new fighter now and I am a new man.
“This feels like a great fight for me…a great opportunity and I’m going to take it with both hands. After that, I’ll fight whoever, but yeah, one step at a time.
“It is for who is the governor in British boxing. This is the top level.”
Wardley’s meteoric rise has surprised many in the sport after he started out as a white-collar boxer.
Bruising sparring sessions with Dubois were part of Wardley’s education during his early days as a professional, but he will enter the ring as world champion after a remarkable stoppage of Joseph Parker in October.
It followed a similarly-thrilling victory over Justin Huni, but Dubois warned his luck was about to run out.
Dubois added: “I think I’m going to show I have a punch and a bit of boxing skill about me. I am the one with the amateur experience and pedigree and I’m going to show that.
“I mean, his luck runs out when he comes against me.
“You’ve seen him keep coming back from the dead and this time he stays dead. RIP.”
Wardley defended his bin man comment at Thursday’s press conference, saying: “Someone asked me what you might have as a job and I said, ‘it might be a bin man’, but don’t let other people get in your head.
“It’s not disrespectful. I didn’t say it was a bad job.”
Wardley has remained composed all week and delivered his prediction ahead of his first title defence as WBO champion.
“Irrespective of pedigree, history, experience, I believe that I can beat him,” Wardley added.
“Whatever happens in the fight, that belief I have is unwavering and I always have 100 per cent confidence.
“I’ve proven that time and time again. It’s going to be over and out. He’s going to be cleaned out.”
