Fabio Wardley isn't letting the critics get under his skin. As the WBO heavyweight champion prepares to defend his title against Daniel Dubois this Saturday in Manchester, he's brushing off the "email champion" and "paper champion" labels that have been thrown his way.

Wardley, who earned the interim WBO belt in October with a thrilling come-from-behind stoppage of Joseph Parker, was elevated to full champion status when Oleksandr Usyk vacated the regular title. Now, headlining at the state-of-the-art Co-op Live arena, the 31-year-old is ready to silence the doubters once and for all.

"It's fair enough if that's people's thoughts or opinions," Wardley responded when DAZN brought up the chatter. "I've got no time to try and convince people otherwise. I did a job against Joseph Parker. I picked Daniel as a voluntary challenger for a reason—to again prove myself. Not that I need to, but fine, no worries. I'll tick that off, and then come the end of Saturday night, my hand will be raised and the words 'paper champion' will fade."

This clash of British heavyweights is more than just a title defense—it's a chance for both men to solidify their legacies. Dubois, aiming to become a two-time world champion, knows a thing or two about the path Wardley has walked. His IBF title reign started the same way: he stopped Filip Hrgovic in 2024 for the interim belt and was elevated when Usyk vacated. Dubois then made a statement by knocking out Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium to keep the official IBF strap, but his momentum hit a wall when Usyk stopped him in their July rematch—also at Wembley—marking Dubois's third career loss and second KO defeat to the Ukrainian.

For Wardley, the unbeaten record is everything. While he's never tasted defeat as a pro, he's had his share of scares, including close calls against Parker and Justis Huni. But with the bright lights of Manchester and a world title on the line, he's betting that actions speak louder than labels.

"Come Saturday night, none of that talk will matter," Wardley added. "It's just me, Dubois, and the belt. That's all that counts."