Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois are finalizing a deal to meet in a WBO heavyweight title fight on May 9 in Manchester, UK, sources told The Ring’s Mike Coppinger. Yahoo Sports first reported the date, with the bout now moving toward the kind of late-stage paperwork phase that typically precedes an official announcement, ticket on-sale, and full undercard rollout.

If it lands as expected, it’s a massive leap into the deep end for Wardley—one that mirrors the modern British heavyweight fast track: sell a building, beat the right names, then jump straight to the world level. Wardley has built momentum the hard way, pairing an unbeaten record with the type of fights that reveal temperament as much as skill. The upside is obvious: he’s big, confident, and improving, with a crowd-friendly style that turns minor swings into major moments. The risk is just as clear: the world-title tier punishes defensive lapses, especially against a puncher who doesn’t need many openings.

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Dubois, meanwhile, brings the kind of heavyweight threat that changes the math of every round. He’s still young for the division but already battle-tested, and he fights with a directness that can make even cautious opponents look hurried. Against Wardley, Dubois’ pressure and body work figure to be central, because forcing a bigger man to reset—and to do it repeatedly—has a way of exposing where a fighter’s composure really lives. Wardley’s task, if the fight is made, will be to win minutes without gifting moments.

Manchester is a fitting stage: a fight city that understands heavyweight nights and doesn’t require much coaxing to get loud. May 9 also places the bout in a prime spring window for UK boxing, where one stadium-grade event can reshape the pecking order. For Wardley, it’s a chance to convert domestic buzz into global consequence; for Dubois, it’s an opportunity to secure a defining win and leave no doubt about his place among the division’s most dangerous operators.