Dubois stops Wardley in round two to retain WBO title

Daniel Dubois stopped Fabio Wardley in the second round of their rematch at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday, retaining the WBO heavyweight title after Wardley’s corner threw in the towel. The stoppage came after Dubois dropped Wardley early in the fight and continued landing heavy punches. Wardley survived the opening round but struggled to establish an attack in the second as Dubois pressed forward. The referee ended the contest at 2:21 of the round, according to one account. The result reversed the outcome Wardley sought in the rematch: he had aimed to regain the title he lost to Dubois in their first meeting in May. That bout went to the 11th round, with Wardley knocking Dubois down twice before Dubois won. The second contest ended much earlier, with Dubois taking control from the opening exchange. After the fight, Wardley said he had not carried out his game plan and accepted responsibility for the loss. He rejected the suggestion that he had returned too soon after the May bout, saying the defeat was down to his execution in the ring. Wardley also praised Dubois and said he planned to return stronger. Dubois remains WBO champion following the victory. His next opponent has...