BOXING: Wardley activates rematch clause with Dubois

Fabio Wardley has activated a rematch clause to try and take back the WBO heavyweight title he lost to fellow-Briton Daniel Dubois in Manchester last weekend.

That fight was stopped in the 11th round with Wardley bloodied and battered but refusing to give in.

Promoter Frank Warren said then that there was a rematch clause and Wardley, 31, told Sky Sports television on Friday it had been activated.

"The boxing world knows my character, and Saturday night proved that without a shred of doubt," said Wardley, who did not say when the rematch might happen.

"It was a fight for the ages, but I made some mistakes that I will rectify in the rematch. Congratulations to Daniel, but I'm coming for you... and my belt."

Ukraine's Oleksandr Usyk, the once undisputed champion who holds the WBA, WBC and IBF belts after relinquishing the WBO one, is next in the spotlight when he fights Dutch former kickboxer Rico Verhoeven on May 23 in Egypt.

While Usyk's WBC title will be on the line, the WBA has said their belt will not be at stake and Verhoeven would only gain a ranking if he wins -- a stance echoed by the IBF.

"If Usyk loses on May 23, 2026, the IBF heavyweight title will be declared vacant immediately," they said in a statement on Thursday.

-Reporting by Alan Baldwin;Editing by Toby Davis/Reuters