Fabio Wardley advised to retire by Filip Hrgovic who promises to 'smash' Daniel Dubois

Fabio Wardley has been advised to retire by Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic, the IBF heavyweight titlist who was ringside in London to witness the Englishman being brushed aside in two rounds by WBO boss Daniel Dubois.

The rematch came five months after Wardley had suffered an extended beatdown at the hands of Dubois after their May slugfest grew increasingly one-sided until it was stopped in the 11^th round.

Wardley, in the immediate aftermath of his second consecutive defeat, promised to rebuild and come back.

But plenty, including Hrgovic, are now wondering if retirement would be the wiser option. After all, Wardley has already overachieved when one considers he came from a white-collar background with no amateur experience to become WBO champion.

"I think [Wardley] should retire," Hrgovic told Boxing News. "He didn't look good [against Dubois in the rematch].

"He made a bunch of money, he did a miracle, and he became a world champion...

"[But] he should retire and enjoy [life]. I think Wardley was still damaged from the first fight.

"He didn’t look good from the first bell. I wasn’t impressed with him.”

Wardley scored two knockdowns in the first fight but was ultimately overpowered and left rocking and reeling during several rounds.

In the rematch, Wardley was dropped inside the first 20 seconds and was rescued, as he took flush shot after flush shot, in the next round.

Regardless, Hrgovic, despite losing to Dubois in 2024, fancies his chances against the Londoner.

"I’m the future undisputed champion,” Hrgovic said. “I will smash Dubois in a rematch, and I’m coming for the belts.”

According to his manager Keith Connolly, the Croatian will first engage in a homecoming bout against his mandatory, Frank Sanchez, in early 2027.