Wardley has spoken of drawing motivation from Ipswich Town's own turnaround story as he prepares to overturn a deficit against Dubois in the second leg. On Saturday night, Wardley — aged 32 — is set to challenge for the heavyweight world title he previously held, facing the fellow British fighter who now holds the belt.
That May, a victory over QPR secured Ipswich's return to the Premier League — the club where he had spent his formative years. A week on, Wardley's bid for a second victory within the same period came to an end when Dubois, aged 29, halted him in the closing rounds.
Pegged by many as a side destined for the drop before the campaign got under way, the club has nonetheless taken points from three of its first six fixtures. Wolves, managed by Gary O'Neil, currently occupy tenth place in the standings — a position that puts them ahead of Manchester United, Aston Villa, and Tottenham.
Wardley had walked the pitch before kick-off that weekend, when a pair of late goals against Fulham provided the occasion's backdrop, and he later reflected that the atmosphere from the day had stayed with him throughout his time there, with the players' performances having been a constant thread of discussion.
One side completes its fixture, leaving the following week's contest entirely in other hands. Tough and physical as the contest was, the performance both teams produced when it mattered earned them notable recognition.
Dubois claimed the world title on neutral ground in Manchester five months before that bout, and his post-fight remarks pointed to a belief that fighters from Ipswich carry the determination to compete until the final bell. That fixture between Ipswich and Manchester City would have overlapped with a rematch pencilled into the north west on the same date.
Dubois is set to fight on home soil at a London venue, where a victory would add to his title record. Wardley pointed to London as a city where his performances had consistently stood out — citing the win over Joseph Parker the prior year as one illustration — and added that a return to The O2, a venue he likened to a second home given the number of memorable nights spent there, left him more satisfied than the original arrangement would have.
The opening bout left a number of aspects worth building on. Connecting blows turned out to be achievable, and there was a genuine sense that putting the opponent on the canvas was still within play.
He expressed confidence that he can absorb the opponent's hardest strikes and remain standing, while the opponent has not demonstrated the same ability against his attacks. Footwork and head movement have rarely been central to Daniel's game, and nothing points to that changing. His approach inside the ring has remained consistent throughout his career, with no indication that his style has shifted in any meaningful direction.
