Daniel Dubois vs. Fabio Wardley 2, Sebastian Fundora returns: 5 issues for a busy boxing weekend

As we race through fall, falling is precisely what we’re anticipating Saturday night time in the heavyweight division.

Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley run back their heavyweight traditional from earlier this 12 months, as the United Kingdom makes heavyweight historical past: It’ll be the third heavyweight world title combat on British soil in a calendar 12 months.

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Wardley is out for revenge and to reclaim his WBO title, while Dubois is making an attempt to construct on his status as the largest puncher in the division.

Elsewhere, Sebastian Fundora makes his newest title protection in Las Vegas, Brandon Figueroa defends his belt misses weight, and we examine in with Uncrowned’s favourite journeyman, Jake Pollard.

Let’s examine in on the prime 5 issues to watch this weekend in boxing.

1. Dubois, Wardley run it back 5 months after heavyweight thriller

Blink, and there’s a good probability you’ll miss something Saturday night time inside London’s O2 Arena.

Dubois (23-3, 22 KOs) grew to become a two-time world heavyweight champion in May, climbing off the canvas twice to pulverize a recreation, courageous Wardley (20-1-1, 19 KOs) via TKO at the begin of the eleventh spherical.

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Wardley called for the rematch straight away and now gets the probability to regain the WBO title that was ripped from him just 163 days in the past.

These two giants may be yin-and-yang personalities outside of the ring, but — as witnessed in May — when they begin trading leather-based, there are similarities aplenty in their energy, tenacity and punch resistance. 

It’s going to take something particular and most likely uncomfortable for one of them to put and keep his opponent down — but hey, that’s why we always have and always will tune into heavyweight boxing.

Dubois vs. Wardley 2 follows Dubois vs. Wardley 1 and Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgović as the third heavyweight world title combat in the UK in 2026, a outstanding run underlining the present home of the heavyweight division.

2. Fundora strikes toward tremendous welterweight unifications

It’s necessary time for the WBC tremendous welterweight champion Fundora (24-1-1, 16 KOs), but it’s not one the 28-year-old is going to take frivolously.

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Sure, the discuss of a future unification combat against Jaron “Boots” Ennis is a scorching matter in the 154-pound division, but “The Towering Inferno” knows what it’s like to drop his guard as a favourite.

In 2023, Fundora’s sole defeat came against unheralded Brian Mendoza. After bouncing back from that loss to file 4 large wins, he’s unwilling to make the same errors.

“I’m not overlooking him … we’re ready to go,” Fundora said Thursday at his ultimate press convention. “What’s helped me is maturity from when I made this [Mendoza] mistake. It’s just development, a lot of learning. Now, we’re finally showing you guys.”

Ermal Hadribeaj (23-0-1, 8 KOs) is the unbeaten man in the reverse nook Saturday in Las Vegas on TNT, returning to the United States for the first time since 2023. 

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In his previous eight outings, the 32-year-old southpaw has gained priceless rating factors with the WBC, combating in Germany, Albania, Uzbekistan and Croatia, with International and Silver titles won.

3. Figueroa is combating, which means you should watch Figueroa combat 

We’ve not seen Brandon Figueroa inside a boxing ring since February — far too long for my liking.

Last time out, the seasoned 29-year-old broke Nick Ball’s coronary heart, thanks to a Twelfth-round shocker, stopping the hometown hero to snatch the WBA featherweight title.

The “Heartbreaker” returns on the Fundora-Hadribeaj undercard, bringing his 27-2-1, (20 KOs) file into a 126-pound protection of his WBA strap against Japan’s Tomoki Kameda.

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Kameda (42-5, 23 KOs) is as skilled as they come. He’s boxed 349 skilled rounds and ruled the 118-pound division 12 years in the past. But all of his latest step-ups have resulted in a defeat, and Figueroa will be eyeing a composed, skilled victory.

But where’s the enjoyable in that? Figueroa has constructed a profession on his high quantity, high aggression, come-forward model, smothering his opposition with little regard for what comes back. In Kameda, 35, he’ll be in with a extremely disciplined operator who will be assured in capitalizing on any lapses in focus by the champion.

It’s chaos vs. readability, and chaos is typically favored in Sin City.

UPDATE: And Figueroa has lost his belt on the scale. The now-former champ missed weight by 1.4 kilos Friday morning in Las Vegas. It is presently unclear whether his combat with Kameda will proceed as a non-title bout.

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4. Pauldo vs. Tellez is this weekend’s 50/50 offering

You know we love a decide ’em contest at Uncrowned, and Justin Pauldo vs. Rene Tellez provides just that on Friday night time, as their light-weight scrap headlines a ProBox night from Chandler, Arizona.

Pauldo (20-2, 10 KOs) is the home favourite, and after 12 years in the recreation is finally on the verge of a large, significant alternative at 135 kilos.

The 32-year-old went 3-0 in 2025, pushed himself up to No. 5 in the WBC’s light-weight rankings, and has now been supplied the alternative to roll the cube against a harmful Mexican challenger.

Tellez (23-5, 14 KOs) has a usually seasoned file for a 27-year-old and equally arrives in Arizona off the back of a three-fight profitable run. One of his 5 losses came against new WBA light-weight world champion Floyd Schofield in 2024, though Tellez dropped the American in the eleventh spherical.

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“I know if I take care of business in dominating fashion, the world will want to see me against those types of guys,” Pauldo said, referring to the champions at 135 kilos.

But one factor’s for sure: He’s not in for an straightforward experience. 

5. Uncrowned’s favourite journeyman packs his 1-121-1 file and travels to London

Jake Pollard’s 1-121-1 file was unfold across “X” this previous week, inciting the standard replies from faceless accounts making an attempt to get a low cost snigger or response.

Thankfully — and, I hope, in half to my function on the British journeyman last 12 months — many came to the protection of the 34-year-old as he prepares for the 124th bout of his outstanding profession on the Dubois-Wardley undercard.

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Pollard fights debutant Manny Safari in a six-rounder, offering his companies to check the instruments of the younger Briton as he begins his journey in the professional ranks. 

“I’m sure there’ll be plenty more negative things written after seeing me on Saturday,” Pollard advised me after weighing in on Friday afternoon. “But, you know. F*** ’em.”

And I could not agree more.