Bellew and Frampton pick Wardley-Dubois as 2026 fight of year so far

Tony Bellew and Carl Frampton hailed Fabio Wardley's heavyweight clash with Daniel Dubois in Manchester as the standout bout of 2026 so far during a BBC Radio 5 Live mid-year review with Steve Bunce.

The two former world champions joined Bunce on his podcast late Sunday to dissect the opening six months of the year, weighing the best performances, lowest moments, and the British fighters who have claimed world titles in that span. Wardley and Dubois emerged as the consensus pick for fight of the year at the halfway point.

Bellew and Frampton's mid-year boxing rankings

The trio debated whether any bout still on the calendar could top the heavyweight epic in Manchester. Bellew and Frampton also discussed which single performance stood out above the rest and what they considered boxing's worst moment of 2026 to date.

The 40-minute episode, recorded shortly after the six-month mark, is available on BBC Sounds for over a year. Bunce's panel returns later this year to name the full 2026 fight of the year.

Source: bbc.co.uk