Frazer Clarke believes he will present Fabio Wardley's toughest test yet and has predicted a knockout win over his British rival; Wardley is targeting Ipswich Town's Portman Road as a venue for their fight
Tuesday 18 April 2023 12:18, UK
Fabio Wardley says Frazer Clarke has 'no way out' of a British title battle and believes he can 'cut up' and 'knock out' his heavyweight rival when they share the ring.
Both men have vowed to knock their opponent out, Wardley entering the matchup having decided 15 of his 16 career victories by way of knockout while Clarke is also unbeaten at 6-0 with five stoppages.
"One thousand per cent [I'll be the last man standing]," Wardley told Sky Sports. "Every time I've stood there and traded with someone, I've always come out on top.
"It's something I do quite often and probably against the advice of my coaches who want me to box more conservative, but everyone knows and everyone has seen that I love and live for a tear up, so if it he wants to stand face-to-face, square on, in the centre and hash it out, then I'm more than happy to. I'm one thousand per cent confident I'll come out on top."
Wardley admits the fight arriving sooner rather than later would suit himself more than it does Clarke, but believes the Olympian cannot afford to walk away from the prospective contest.
"He cuts up easily. It's been seen, it's been proven. Even in a small fight like he had with Bogdan Dinu he got a big cut, which caused him a bit of a problem. Above the head, the blood can go into the eyes. He's obviously got soft skin in that area, which is problem against someone like me who hits very hard.
"For it [the fight] to come immediately is probably not ideal for them, but it's irrelevant what they want, the fight has been mandated, it's going to happen and we're going to get it on. There's no way out. There's no way he can show his face anywhere if he runs away from this as well. If he pulls out for one reason, or he decides that he doesn't want the spot, then he won't be able to show his face in a boxing ring again."
Wardley has signposted Portman Road, the home of his club Ipswich Town, as an ideal venue for the pair's all-British clash, at the same time questioning Clarke's own footballing allegiance.
He is also looking towards a fight date sometime in the summer, insisting "timeframe is no problem" for him.
"It (Ipswich) would be the best place to do it. I think a homecoming, coming back to Ipswich, giving back to my Ipswich fans and supporters is something that's long overdue," explained Wardley.
To do it there for probably one of the biggest British title fights that has happened since AJ against Dillian Whyte, would be the best place to do it, back home at Portman Road.
"I think it's a much more exciting ground [than Burton Albion FC]. There's much more of an atmosphere. There's much more of a buzz around the club, the town, the support.
"Does he really support Burton? I've never seen him at a Burton game, or in a Burton top. I don't know. Me against Frazer, it only goes one way with me ending up the winner, and Ipswich Town versus Burton, it only ends up with Ipswich Town as the winner."
Clarke himself has shown zero hesitation in welcoming a fight against Wardley as he seeks to further his professional career, with the British title firmly in his sights.
The 31-year-old has fought twice so far in 2023, stopping both Kevin Espindola and Bogdan Dinu.
"It's a tough bout, Fabio has done everything asked of him so far in his career, 15 knockouts in 16 fights and I'm only six fights in," he told Sky Sports.
"I'm more than confident of going into that fight and knocking him out, doing a real job on him. There's only one person coming out victorious in this one and that's me.
"The same way I go into any fight, I think there are massive gaps for me to expose there on Fabio."
Wardley extended his unbeaten record earlier this month with a fourth-round TKO victory over Michael Polite Coffie at The O2, following up November's win over Nathan Gorman.
"Even though he's been in with some good names I'll realistically be the best test of his career and him mine as well," continued Clarke.
"I think it makes for a great fight, I've got respect for him and where he's come from.
"Unfortunately he's coming up against myself, I expected the British title when I turned pro and now it's happening, I'm working hard and I'm going to take this title."
