Five months after overcoming a brutal battle with Fabio Wardley, the WBO heavyweight champion made sure their rematch would be a completely different story.

This time, there was no dramatic comeback, no extended firefight and no question about which of them was superior.

Dubois demolished Wardley in two rounds at London's O2 Arena, retaining his world title and sending a powerful message to the rest of the heavyweight division.

The 29-year-old wasted absolutely no time. He dropped Wardley with a straight right hand just 17 seconds into the opening round and continued to unload with punishing combinations. Wardley survived the round, but he was already in serious trouble.

The second round brought more of the same. Dubois continued his assault until Wardley's corner had seen enough and threw in the towel. It was a devastating performance and arguably one of the most impressive victories of Dubois' career.

Their first meeting in May had been a completely different experience. Dubois was dropped twice in the opening three rounds before battling back to stop Wardley in the 11th.

That fight demonstrated his resilience. The rematch demonstrated his dominance.

Dubois improved to 24-3 and, more importantly, strengthened his position as one of the most dangerous heavyweights in the world. The biggest question now is where he goes from here.

The most obvious option is IBF heavyweight champion Filip Hrgovic, who was ringside Saturday and wasted little time making his intentions known. Hrgovic entered the ring after Dubois' victory and made it clear that he wants another shot against the British puncher. There is unfinished business between them.

Dubois stopped Hrgovic in eight rounds in June 2024, overcoming some difficult early moments before the fight was halted because of severe cuts around the Croatian's eyes. Hrgovic has repeatedly maintained that he wasn't physically at his best that night. Since then, he has rebuilt his career and captured the vacant IBF championship with a dramatic knockout of heavily favored Moses Itauma in August.

A rematch would provide Hrgovic with an opportunity for revenge and give Dubois the chance to add another world title to his collection. It also appears to be a realistic fight to make.

Both fighters have expressed interest, and the championship stakes would make it considerably more meaningful than their first encounter. However, Hrgovic also has a potential mandatory defense against Frank Sanchez to consider.

Another intriguing possibility is WBC heavyweight champion Agit Kabayel. The unbeaten German has quietly developed into one of the most formidable fighters in the division. His relentless body attack, physical strength and ability to break down opponents would present Dubois with a completely different challenge.

Kabayel is scheduled to defend his championship against Nelson Hysa in November, but a victory could put him directly into the conversation for a unification with Dubois.

Dubois is at his most dangerous when he can establish his jab, move forward and unleash his heavy punches. Kabayel is equally comfortable applying pressure and forcing opponents into uncomfortable exchanges. Neither man is particularly interested in taking a backward step.

Then there is the winner of Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, who are scheduled to finally collide in December. From a commercial standpoint, that could be the biggest opportunity available to Dubois. He already owns a devastating KO victory over Joshua, having stopped the former unified champion in September 2024.

A rematch would offer Joshua a chance to avenge one of the most damaging defeats of his career, although convincing the public that the outcome would be different might require some work.

A showdown between Fury and Dubois would be an enormous attraction in the UK, with the potential to fill a major stadium. Fury's movement, experience and ring intelligence would provide an interesting contrast to Dubois' physical strength and punching power.

Of course, there is also Oleksandr Usyk. The Ukrainian has defeated Dubois twice, including their high-profile rematch in July 2025. Dubois would undoubtedly welcome another chance to settle that score. However, Usyk is on his way out the door, and there is nothing for him to gain by meeting Dubois for a third time.

There are other champions to pursue and other significant fights that could help strengthen Dubois’ standing without the need for another encounter with Usyk, who still holds the Ring Magazine strap.

At 29, he is entering what should be the prime years of his career. He has already experienced championship success, painful defeats and the process of rebuilding himself. The performance against Wardley was another reminder of how dangerous Dubois can be when he is confident, focused and allowed to establish his offense.

The biggest question now isn't whether Dubois can compete with the division's leading heavyweights, but how many of them he can beat. A unification with Hrgovic would be the most sensible next step. It offers another championship, an opponent with a personal reason to accept the fight and a compelling storyline.

But if that doesn't materialize, Dubois has enough alternatives to remain involved in the biggest fights the division can offer. For a fighter who has already endured several career setbacks, that is a very good position to be in.