Fabio Wardley Reveals Talks Are Taking Place For Rematch With Frazer Clarke

June 18, 2024
8 months
Fabio Wardley retained his British and Commonwealth titles after his draw with Frazer Clarke.

British heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley has revealed talks are ongoing over the rematch with Frazer Clarke following their remarkable first fight.

Wardley (17-0-1 16 KO) and Clarke (8-0-1 6 KO) fought to a thrilling draw at London’s O2 Arena in March in what was arguably the greatest all-British heavyweight fight of all time. It was the perfect clash of heavyweight styles; the rough and powerful Wardley taking on the more polished Clarke with his exemplary amateur pedigree.

And if all goes to plan, it appears likely the pair will run it back, according to Wardley, who also retained his Commonwealth title against Clarke.

“If it can be made, if it’s easily made, if there’s no fussing, no messing around, then cool get it done,” Wardley told Sky Sports. “Otherwise I’m still undefeated, I’ve still got all my belts, I’m still in charge. Ultimately, I’m still in the driving seat I can do whatever I want so if things don’t go that way there are other options for us.”

Rematch Under Discussion

Wardley and Clarke were both in attendance for the undisputed heavyweight title bout between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury in Saudi Arabia last month, and the pair had a conversation about a possible rematch.

Wardley has revealed that both fighters are keen on a second showdown, but that it’s being left to their teams to discuss terms and details.

“He said: ‘How are you doing, are you recovering well?’ I said I’m good, I’m good to go, I’m in the gym. He said the same,” Wardley said. “I said, ‘look we’ll get it back on but let the teams deal with it’. And we both agreed. Let the boys deal with it. We’ll do our bit. We’ll get in the gym and we’ll let them deal with it.

“Our teams are having discussions about doing it again. We’re boxers at the end of the day. We’re not promoters, we’re not agents, we leave the work to them, solicitors, lawyers and stuff, we’re don’t bother with that stuff, we leave it to them.”

Wardley Wants To Make History

If the rematch is even half the spectacle of the first fight, it will still be a must-watch bout. In a brutal and bloody encounter, Wardley sent Clarke to the canvas in the fifth round and both fighters exchanged punishing shots throughout the 12 rounds.

“I left at least a pint of blood in there or something as well because it was a messy affair,” Wardley said. “I left a bit of me in there that night. So the O2, that occasion will forever hold a massive part of me.”

Wardley, who turned professional after just four white-collar bouts and has no amateur experience, explained that the chance to be part of another major event is his main motivation behind the rematch.

“It’s almost poetic in a sense of like it’ll be historical for me [to fight Clarke again]. It’ll be something for me to look back on and be proud of and look at and rewatch and go you know what, I did a hell of thing that night,” Wardley said.

“That tag and that name that people give it makes every ounce of blood I shed worth it. Those fights, those moments, those occasions are what I live for. To be part of them, to be present, have my name in the mix with them, that’s what I want.”

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