Fabio Wardley vs Frazer Clarke: Brits finally collide on Sunday
Wardley and Clarke will battle for the British Heavyweight title live on Sky Sports at O2 Arena.
Frazer Clarke will fight Fabio Wardley for the British Heavyweight title on Easter Sunday almost a year after he pulled out of purse bids.
Wardley-Clarke will headline a stacked Boxxer card featuring Viddal Riley vs Mikael Lawal, Florian Marku vs Chris Kongo, and the return of Ben Whittaker live on Sky Sports at O2 Arena, London.
However, Wardley vs Clarke could have happened in 2023 if Boxxer and promoter Ben Shalom had believed their fighter was ready.
“I think it’s happening now because obviously, we all know what's happened in the past,” said Clarke in a recent episode on The Gloves Are Off.
“We all know this is something that was supposed to happen a while ago. It’s happening now because the money is right. That’s the honest answer. The money for both of us. The time is right.
“He [Wardley] came off a great win in Saudi. I got the experience which I needed and now we’re here.”
Wardley’s last outing was on the ‘Battle of the Baddest’ card featuring Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou in Riyadh where he stopped the previously unbeaten David Adeleye in seven rounds to reach 17-0.
Meanwhile, Clarke captured victories over Mariusz Wach and Dave Allen to round up a successful year of four consecutive wins.
Regardless, Wardley was not convinced that Clarke would have fought him, even without the intervention of Sky and Boxxer.
Wardley said: “Clearly and honestly didn’t want it. And he'll say he did. He’ll say he was ready for it. He’ll say he would have taken it at any time, any place, anywhere.
“But, when push came to shove when the moment came, he wasn’t there. He didn’t show up. If it’s the case that he wasn’t in control and there were the people above him and they made the decision for him.
“I know the facts of the situation and I know when a mandatory is made, the only person that can sign that bit of paper and say I’m withdrawing myself, is the fighter.”
Despite attaining a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, Clarke is a clear underdog by the bookies.
Since turning pro in 2022, ‘Big Fraze’ has failed to impress, notably producing a lacklustre, ten-round performance against Mariusz Wach last June at York Hall.
In contrast, Wardley has continued to improve despite only having four white-collar boxing fights before his pro debut in 2021, winning every bout via stoppage or knockout since.
Still, on paper, Wardley and Clarke are each other's toughest fight as professionals.
Wardley has yet to face someone with the amateur pedigree of Clarke, whereas Clarke has never fought anyone with an unbeaten record or the sheer explosiveness of Wardley.