Dubois smashes through Wardley to win world title rematch in two rounds

Daniel Dubois defeated Fabio Wardley with savage speed and focused aggression to defend the WBO heavyweight world title at the O2 Arena in London; Dubois ended the fight in the second round; the British rivals were rematching after Dubois won an epic brawl in their first fight in May

Daniel Dubois smashed Fabio Wardley to defeat in the second round of their world championship rematch at London’s O2 Arena.

Dubois retained the WBO heavyweight title he won from Wardley in May in crushing style, picking up just where he left off in their first fight.

Dubois and Wardley were renewing hostilities only five months after a frenetic and ultimately brutal contest.

Then London's Dubois had needed to rise twice from early knockdowns to punch out a savage 11-round victory over Wardley, hurting the Ipswich fighter even though Wardley was stopped on his feet.

Wardley, determined to win back his world title as soon as he could, exercised the rematch clause in his contract and forced this second fight to take place.

A smashing Dubois right cross saw Wardley drop, ever so briefly, to a knee in the opening seconds of the first round. He bounced up immediately, inviting the right uppercut that followed.

The referee administered a count, and that proved to be just a momentary reprieve. Dubois set about him with shuddering force for the rest of the round.

Wardley was pained, being driven to the ropes by an unrelenting Dubois.

The champion continued his onslaught in the second round. He hammered Wardey into a corner, jolting his head on his neck with a salvo of stunning punches, until Wardley's trainer Ben Davison threw in the towel and the referee rushed in to end it.

On the undercard Bakhodir Jalolov , a two-time Olympic super-heavyweight gold medallist, showcased just what makes him so formidable as he hammered out a 10 round unanimous decision victory over Solomon Dacres.

But he also displayed what can make him so frustrating to watch. The towering southpaw controlled virtually the whole bout and struck Dacres over early in the fifth round.

The knockdown was superb, Jalolov using his right to take Dacres' left glove away from his guard, opening up a path for the Uzbek's booming left cross - a shot that sent Dacres to the canvas and bloodied his nose.

But Jalolov didn't capitalise and continued to work in single shots, albeit excellent single shots, as he dominated without turning up the pressure, winning 99-91 and 99-90 twice.