“A Real Hurricane”: Experts Weigh in on Wardley vs. Clarke 2

On October 12, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the rematch between British boxers Fabio Wardley (17-0-1, 16 KOs) and Frazer Clarke (8-0-1, 6 KOs) will take place for the BBBofC British heavyweight title (over 90.7 kg).

The first fight, held in March, ended in a draw, but neither boxer was satisfied with the outcome. Both fighters are confident in their victory for the rematch. What do the experts think?

During the promotional contract signing with Wardley, Queensberry Promotions head Frank Warren stated: “The heavyweight division is incredibly exciting right now, and Fabio has proven to be a significant part of it with his outstanding performances. We are glad he chose Queensberry at this pivotal moment. After October, I believe he will be ready to challenge anyone in the top 10.”

Former champion and current analyst Carl Froch mentioned on his podcast: “The first fight took place in March, and it was a real hurricane. For Fabio Wardley, it was a British title defense, and Frazer Clarke was truly proud of himself. That night, I thought he would win. Many believe the scoring was subjective, but I was convinced Clarke did everything right.

They will have a rematch in Saudi Arabia—I don’t want to criticize just for the sake of it, but the first fight was at the O2 Arena in London... The atmosphere was intense then... And while the rematch is now taking place in Saudi Arabia, I genuinely believe that the British title rematch should have been held in Britain.

Regarding the outcome, I can’t pinpoint a winner, but I’m leaning towards Frazer Clarke. The first fight was very even, an excellent bout, and I like both fighters. Maybe I support Clarke more because I spent a lot of time with him at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield, where I ended my career under Rob McCracken. It will be a tense fight, and it all depends on who shows their strength first.”

Former undisputed world champion Lennox Lewis offered advice to Clarke on how to win the rematch against Wardley: “It was easy for me in the rematch with Hasim Rahman because I realized my mistake. I knew what I did wrong. I corrected my mistake and then came back stronger. You’re in almost the same position, brother. You just need to fine-tune your conditioning a little, then come up with the right game plan—and victory is yours. I was really impressed with you in the first fight and said, ‘In the second fight, he just needs to fix a few things.’”

Boxxer promoter Ben Shalom, who represents Frazer Clarke, said in an interview with Sky Sports: “I expect a completely different Frazer Clarke compared to the first fight against Wardley. He learned a lesson equivalent to three or four fights in that bout. I expect him to box differently, and honestly, I hope for a dominant victory. Then the world will open up for him, as he is so popular.

You see the metrics he’s achieving—the profile he has been able to build in such a short time deserves recognition. He has a huge future ahead, but Saturday certainly holds great significance. For us, Frazer is already a well-known name, and he can become a true star. This victory would be a significant achievement in his career.”

British Heavyweight Showdown – Statistics, Details, and Winning Chances from RTFight Can Be Found Here.