Daniel Dubois declared Fabio Wardley had felt his “bad intentions” as he set his sights on cleaning up the heavyweight division following a furious second-round stoppage in their rematch at The O2 Arena.

Oozing menace, Dubois launched an all-out assault from the first bell and having knocked down his British rival after just 17 seconds the fight was brought to an end a round later when trainer Ben Davison threw in the towel.

It was a devastating display of punching power that retains his WBO world heavyweight belt and lights up the division, positioning the 29-year-old Londoner for big fights against fellow title holders Filip Hrgovic, Agit Kabayel and Murat Gassiev.

“Whoever is next in line, really,” Dubois said. “I’m the champion now and I want to get some big fights in. At this stage in my career I want big money, big fights.

“Fabio is a great boy coming in for the second time, but it was my time and it’s my era. I had bad intentions from the beginning. This is God’s victory. We’ve done well.

“My back was against the wall for the first fight and this time we just had to go out there and show that we mean business, which is what we did.”

Wardley barely threw a shot and spent the 5 minutes 21 seconds the fight lasted in survival mode having never recovered from the brutal right hand that floored him in the opening exchanges.

It was reminiscent of the later rounds of their first clash in May when a blood-soaked Wardley was stopped in the 11th having knocked down Dubois in the first and third rounds.

Surprise was expressed by some that Wardley had immediately activated the rematch clause given the punishment he took, but the Ipswich puncher denied the battering five months ago was a factor behind the second defeat of his career.

“No, not in the slightest,” Wardley said. “I just came in and didn’t execute the game plan properly. I hold my hands up to that – that is entirely down to me.

“When I step through the ropes, it is only myself. It’s only me bouncing down in the ring, there’s no blame to be passed around. When I win it’s all me as well. There’s no shame in losing to a great competitor like Daniel.

“It’s never fun to lose, but it is what it is. The game is the game. I have always thrown myself in with the best competitors out there – the best in the business, the biggest, hardest, meanest guys around – so there’s no shame in a loss when you’re testing yourself against the best.”

Sat at ringside, IBF champion Hrgovic warned Dubois he is coming for his title.

“I think Wardley was still damaged from the first fight,” Hrgovic said. “He didn’t look good from the first bell. I wasn’t impressed with him.

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