Dubois (23-3, 22 KOs) always walks with clenched fists on fight week, but as he stood facing Wardley (20-1-1, 19 KOs) in DAZN’s "Ring of Fire" he looked ready to explode with tension.

Just 24 hours later, a tight, nervous Dubois had to pick himself up from two early knockdowns before relaxing, recalibrating and scoring an unforgettable 11th-round stoppage to become a two-time heavyweight champion. The thrilling win showed both sides of Dubois’ character.

On October 17, the British heavyweight rivals will meet in an eagerly-awaited rematch at London’s O2 Arena.

When he knows exactly what he's facing and what the outcome will be, Dubois is a force to be reckoned with.

In June 2024 he refused to be intimidated or bullied by Filip Hrgovic and stopped the current IBF champion on cuts in the eighth round. Three months later, he stomped to the ring for a massive fight with Anthony Joshua as if victory was already assured, before blowing the two-time champion away in five violent rounds.

In comparison, he looked distracted and unsure of himself before and during his two fights with Oleksandr Usyk, losing both inside the distance.

Dubois, 29, told DAZN that any apprehension he felt before the first fight with Wardley was solely to do with his July 2025 loss to Usyk, followed by 10 months out of the ring, rather than fear.

“Right now I'm in the process of getting ready for fight night. I’m sometimes anxious and tense for a fight and sometimes I'm chill, but it's just about finding a balance,“ he said.

“I don't think [the nerves] were there before the AJ fight. I think after the last fight with Usyk and the year I think I had out the ring, it was just ring rust and nerves, and other stuff like that, but now I just feel it's up to me to put on a show. Good fighters need to stay active and this is it the start of the next chapter of my career.”

Despite making a blistering start to the first fight, Wardley eventually took a huge amount of punishment and it will take an enormous physical and mental effort for him to regain his title.

Still, he has promised to beat Dubois inside the first quarter of their rematch.

Armed with the knowledge that he survived everything Wardley threw at him and came out on top, Dubois believes he'll get business done quicker in the sequel.

“I can't say where he gets his confidence from." Dubois said. "But we'll flip the script on him and he will end up going out before he knows it."