Fabio Wardley v Frazer Clarke: Pair set for 'bad blood' heavyweight showdown

Boxing fans surrounded by chocolate egg remnants can indulge further into Easter Sunday evening with a tasty heavyweight showdown as Fabio Wardley faces rival Frazer Clarke.

The two unbeaten Britons - who collide at London's O2 Arena - have trodden very different paths towards arguably the most high-profile fight of their respective pro careers.

British and Commonwealth champion Wardley, 29, has only been boxing for seven years, in which time he has progressed from the unlicensed white collar scene - and no amateur career - to 17 pro wins.

"I've shown that I'm a very good and well-rounded boxer although I do get involved in scraps here and there," he says.

Clarke meanwhile is the better schooled of the pair - a product of TeamGB whose amateur accolades include an Olympic bronze medal at Tokyo 2020.

As a pro, however, the 32-year-old from Burton upon Trent is yet to set the world alight but still feels his experience will prevail in a contest billed as "bad blood".

"[Wardley] has knocked a lot of people out and looked devastating but he's not been in the ring with Frazer Clarke yet," he says.

"Myself, I know too much. I'm working too hard. I hit hard as well. I'm too fast, too knowledgeable, too switched on, too good looking, too sexy, too strong, too much of a beast."

Year in the making
Despite Wardley and Clarke being fairly respectful towards each other in fight week, there has been plenty of back and forth between the fighters and their teams over the past year.

The heavyweights were ordered to fight for the British title in April 2023 but Clarke's team withdrew on the day of scheduled purse bids.

"He's a good fighter but there is definitely an authentic tone of bad blood," Wardley says.

"The timing of it all and him waiting until the last minute and dropping out on the day... He was constantly wasting a lot of people's time."

The Ipswich fighter stopped David Adeleye in October in a career-best performance, while Clarke's stock dropped after an unspectacular points win over Poland's Mariusz Wach and a stoppage victory against the overmatched Dave Allen.

"I almost feel like he's being looked after and they're trying to keep him safe and make sure he's well cuddled on his initial ride in the pro ranks," Wardley adds.

"Making that leap from very casual, unambitious opponents to someone like me - who has been fighting top-level opponents for the past two years - is a very large jump. And I think he'll find that quite a surprise. "

There is more than just undefeated records and the coveted British and Commonwealth belts on the line in South East London.

With the riches and lure of the heavyweight division - largely down to Saudi Arabia's recent investment in the sport - the winner will put himself forward for some potentially lucrative bouts.

Wardley, who earned a career-high payday against Adeleye in Saudi Arabia, is tipped by many as the next British heavyweight star.

With the likes of WBC champion Tyson Fury and two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua are arguably at the back end of their careers, Wardley says a win over Clarke will take him some way towards achieving his world title dream.

"The guys at the top don't really have too much longer left, between all of them probably two or three years, if that," Wardley says.

"The belts will also fragment in that time as well - so being well positioned with all the governing bodies is the aim after I get past Frazer."