Fabio Wardley is drawing motivation from Ipswich Town’s recent late comeback victory as he prepares for a crucial rematch against Daniel Dubois this weekend. The 31-year-old former WBO heavyweight champion watched Ipswich secure a dramatic 2-1 win over Fulham at Portman Road on Saturday, where the home side overturned a deficit with goals from Abdoul Ouattara and Dara O’Shea in injury time. Wardley views the team’s resilience as a reflection of his own fighting spirit ahead of their bout.

Wardley suffered a stoppage defeat to Dubois in May during their first encounter at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, with the fight ending in the 11th round. The upcoming rematch, scheduled for London’s O2 Arena, represents a major opportunity for Wardley to reclaim his title and avenge that loss. He said the Ipswich team’s never-say-die attitude will serve as inspiration, noting the parallels between the football club’s grit and the determination required in the ring.

“This was the perfect bit of buzz,” Wardley remarked about his visit to Portman Road. “It just proved us Ipswich boys have got grit until the end and it’s never over until it’s over.” The boxer emphasized the straightforward but tenacious approach both he and the team share, especially as they face formidable opponents.

The rematch takes place in London, rather than Manchester where their first fight occurred, a change that Wardley welcomed. The venue, the O2 Arena, has become somewhat of a “home away from home” for him, having won seven of his 20 professional bouts there. He stressed the comfort and familiarity he feels competing at the North Greenwich arena, which he expects to give him an edge.

Before the fight, Ipswich Town themselves are about to face a challenging Premier League fixture away at Manchester City, a club recently sanctioned for multiple financial breaches. Ipswich have assembled their squad with limited resources and face the possibility of relegation, contrasting sharply with City’s extravagance. Wardley’s connection to the town and its football club further fuels his emotional investment in his upcoming bout.

While Dubois enters the contest as the favorite after his earlier stoppage victory, Wardley is confident that the resilience he witnessed in Ipswich’s late victory will translate into his own performance inside the ring. The coming rematch promises to be a pivotal chapter in both fighters’ careers.