Paul Smith says Fabio Wardley has to change a lot to beat Daniel Dubois in their October 17 rematch, and he is not sure Wardley can pull it off.
The talkSPORT analyst and former three-time super middleweight world title challenger broke the fight down in a video, according to Big Fight Weekend’s transcript. Smith said he does not think Wardley’s team has shown a plan B, and that Wardley is “gonna have to change a lot in the fight.”
Smith believes Wardley can still hurt Dubois, noting the first-fight knockdowns “weren’t really clean.” His suggested adjustment is simple: jump on Dubois early “and try and make a big fight early on.”
“Can Dubois back up what he’s saying? I think he can,” Smith said. He thinks Dubois can “make it easier for himself on the night,” and that much depends on “how Wardley turns up.”
Wardley came into the first fight as WBO champion and dropped Dubois in the first and third rounds at Co-op Live in Manchester on May 9. Dubois recovered and stopped Wardley in the 11th round to win the title, leaving Wardley with a badly cut nose and a nearly closed right eye.
The rematch headlines a Queensberry card live on DAZN at The O2 in London.
