Fabio Wardley has shown consistent power and durability. He stopped Joseph Parker in the 11th round on October 25 and previously broke down David Adeleye in seven rounds in October 2023. Those performances place Wardley outside the type of opponent Joshua has typically faced since his knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024.
Hearn has said in past interviews that Joshua would “prefer” the Wardley fight, though the broader direction has continued to point elsewhere. Saudi-backed planning, including the influence of Turki Alalshikh, has remained focused on a potential bout with Tyson Fury, not on a high-risk matchup against an unbeaten contender.
Wardley’s team has indicated that a WBO title opportunity could be made available to Joshua without a qualifying bout. Even so, there has been no public movement toward finalising that fight. Joshua’s only win since the Dubois loss came against Jake Paul, yet he continues to be positioned for major opportunities.
At present, there is no indication that Joshua or his representatives intend to act on Wardley’s availability.
