Best Domestic Heavyweight? Fabio Wardley Emphatically Answers the Question
If there was any doubt over who is the best British-level heavyweight, Fabio Wardley emphatically answered the question on Saturday night.
A destructive win over domestic rival Frazer Clarke established Clarke as top dog.
Before the bout, there was a genuine question mark over who was the better of the two. A well-fought draw in their March bout made for a good argument for both guys. The white-collar street fighter or the GB-schooled Olympian?
Within a couple of minutes of the first round on Saturday, we found our answer.
Wardley was at his destructive best, landing heavy shots on Clarke.
Despite giving away over two stones in weight to Clarke, Wardley looked the sharper, more aggressive boxer from the get-go. There was no finesse from Wardley, he was there to send a message. This was all gas, no brakes. Power punches from the start, no taking a back step.
His attacks were ferocious, landing heavy punches to the head and body. When the knockout came after a prolonged attack, it genuinely looked like Clarke had suffered a serious, life-changing injury.
Alongside the glazed-look of a concussed man, Clarke’s jaw was mis-shapen, as if he’d suffered a stroke. We now know that the appearance was the result of a damaged jaw and cheekbone, which have been successfully repaired in surgery.
What happens now is anyone’s guess.
Where Does Fabio Wardley Rank?
In boxing it’s easy to get carried away, so now the dust has settled, let’s assess.
Until Fabio Wardley takes a world-ranked scalp, I’m reluctant to call him a world-level fighter, but he certainly looks like he’s about to leave the domestic scene well behind him. There’ll be much tougher tests ahead for Wardley, but he has put the division on notice with his display. All of those who see him as a street fighter will be quickly re-thinking their opinions.
He needs to take a step up now, and fighters like Hrgovic or even a domestic bout with Chisora could be perfect. They’ll tell us a lot more about Fabio Wardley than the British-level fights we’ve seen so far.
UK Heavyweight Landscape Looks Healthy
Whilst we’ve had plenty of representation at world level in the heavyweights with AJ, Fury, Chisora, Whyte, Dubious and Joyce, the domestic scene is also looking good.
Frazer Clarke and Fabio Wardley have been the front runners, whilst Moses Itauma, Jonny Fisher, Solomon Dacres and David Adeleye are showing there is depth in the ranks. Whilst we’d normally have an eye on team GB, at heavyweight it’s looking a little light, prospects-wise.
There was a genuine worry that we’d be missing some heavyweight talent when the likes of Fury, AJ, Chisora and Whyte finally hang up their gloves. None of them are getting any younger, and whilst we have Dubois to bridge the gap, we’re looking for the next British superstar.
Perhaps Fabio Wardley can provide some entertainment in the medium term. With his come-forward, aggressive style he’ll certainly win lots of support.
The question is whether or not that style will be enough to win at world level, where the technical skill required is higher, the boxers hit harder and the physical conditioning required is elite. So far though, he’s showing positive signs.
He’s certainly got options beyond the domestic scene now. It’s a question of when, not if he challenges one of the top 15.
