Franklin shares gym insight on upcoming Wardley vs Dubois heavyweight fight
Jermaine Franklin expects a close fight between Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois. The heavyweight contender has seen both fighters up close in the gym.
Wardley will defend his WBO heavyweight belt after a strong 2025 campaign that saw him score late knockout victories over Justis Huni and Joseph Parker, both fights where he appeared behind on the cards before turning the contest around.
Dubois enters the bout following a stoppage defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in July. The loss came almost a year after Dubois stopped Anthony Joshua to retain the IBF heavyweight title.
Franklin, who previously faced Joshua and is now working in camp with Dubois under trainer Don Charles, spoke about the matchup during an interview with Seconds Out.
“I came down to spar with Fabio a couple of times. I haven’t been sparring with Daniel but I have a lot of respect for him. Daniel is a great fighter, I’m expecting them to put on a great show. It’s kinda hard, Fabio has a ton of heart, even if you establish dominance early, we’ve seen him come back a ton of times, I think in that fight you gotta stay smart and make sure you’re up on the cards.”
Wardley has built a reputation for staying dangerous late in fights. Even when opponents appear to be controlling rounds, he continues pressing forward and throwing combinations until the opening arrives.
Dubois, meanwhile, remains one of the division’s heavier punchers, and the bout represents an opportunity to reinsert himself into the title picture after the Usyk loss.
The winner may find himself positioned for major fights against names such as Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, or unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
Usyk has previously said he plans to have only three fights left before retirement, and he has mentioned the Wardley-Dubois winner as a possible opponent in that final stretch.