British Heavyweight Showdown: Frazer Clarke vs. Fabio Wardley Headlines BOXXER Card at the O2 Arena

Frazer Clarke (8-0, 6 KOs) and Fabio Wardley (17-0, 16 KOs) meet on Sunday in a clash for the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles.

The bout headlines a BOXXER card at the O2 Arena in London, England. Viewers in the UK can catch the action live on Sky Sports. Those in the USA can do so on Peacock. Wardley, who holds both titles, will be making the second defence of the British title and defending the Commonwealth for the first time. Ahead of their March 31 clash, both fighters delivered statements at a press conference. Below is some of what they had to say.

Frazer Clarke and Fabio Wardley Clash in All-British Showdown

Frazer Clarke

“I think that the work that you do in the camp just breathes confidence, week after week after week,” said Clarke. “And now we’re here and I feel fantastic. I’m looking forward to it.”

“I just think I’m the better boxer. We’ve run this narrative over and over again that Fabio is this massive puncher, which, is quite clear that he is. He’s a great fighter, there’s no doubt about it. He’s done fantastic. But, we’re going into a boxing match, a fight, and I think I do it better than him.”

“This is something that is not new to me. I’ve had many battles in my life, in boxing and out of boxing, that have prepared me for moments like this. A tough, tough amateur career as we know and not so many lessons in the pro yet, but, during all them years, all over the world, different people in front of me, different sparring partners, different opponents, you pick up a thing or two along the way. I feel it’s prepared me well for this moment.“

Fabio Wardley

“I’m just as confident as I was before the fight was made and before we even got to getting everything sorted and really ticked off,” said Wardley. “Even the first time around I wanted the fight and wanted to get it on. Even since then I’ve had bigger fights, been in bigger matches, bigger tests, and I’ve only developed as a boxer and as a fighter. I’ve only got better. That’s all you’ve seen from me. It’s just consistent improvement so it’s even better for me now that it’s coming at this stage.”

“By any means necessary is the objective. It [the stoppage] may come early, it may come late. Irrelevant. It’s gonna come. That’s the only definite tick of the box. It is gonna come. It doesn’t matter what stage of the fight, it doesn’t matter how the fight’s going. Twelfth round, first round, whenever. You see my fights, they’re always entertaining, I’m always looking for big shots. I’m always looking to put a show on and get my opponent out of there and Sunday night will be no different.”

Fight Prediction

While Wardley has more fights in the professional ranks, Clarke has been involved in boxing for much longer than his opponent through the amateur system. We believe this to be key in their clash. It feels like a fight where Clarke should be able to outbox Wardley for long stretches of the bout. Expect the Olympic bronze medalist to claim a unanimous decision on Sunday.

Full Press Conference

For the full press conference featuring Wardley, Clarke and other undercard fighters, click here or the play button below. Video courtesy of Sky Sports Boxing YouTube channel.