Fabio Wardley sends warning to Frazer Clarke as Olympian shoulders the weight of amateur boxing scene | Boxing News
Frazer Clarke admits he has the weight of the amateur boxing scene on his shoulders as he prepares to take on Fabio Wardley at the O2 Arena on Easter Sunday.
The 32-year-old arrives as an Olympic bronze medallist with vast experience on the amateur scene, while Wardley originates from a background of white-collar fights.
For Clarke, who is also a Commonwealth gold medallist, defeat would represent a significant blow to everything he stands for with regards to his career path.
Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke face off on the Portman Road pitch ahead of their British and Commonwealth title bout
“I look through all the comments and I had a message and it said ‘the amateur boxing reputation in England is on your shoulders’,” said Clarke on The Gloves Are Off on Sky Sports at 9.30pm on Sunday.
“I’m one of those advocates, when you see all these kids turning pro at 18 or 19, I’m like: ‘What are you doing? You’ve got to try and aim for those Olympic Games and World Championships – it’s important’. I go and say that at all the gyms.
“If I lose to this man and then go to the gyms they’ll go: ‘We aren’t listening to you, we’ll go sell a few tickets and fight the man from the pub in the local leisure centre’.
“I thrive on that idea, I’m going to be the reason these guys are winning junior championships and thinking about turning professional, because these snake promoters that offer them some pennies and their eyes light up, I’ll be the reason to say: ‘Listen, go learn your trade, go around the world, go get different experiences’.”
Johnny Nelson explains why Fabio Wardley versus Frazer Clarke reminds him of an ‘old school’ heavyweight fight
Clarke suggested his opponent had “overachieved” as a professional boxer, to which Wardley labelled his rival as “old” and insisted he had more to come.
Wardley, who was jokingly called a cruiserweight by Clarke during the episode, is relishing the opportunity to deliver a dent to his opponent’s career.
“There’s more pressure on him, he carrying the whole of the ABA on his back,” said Wardley.
“If he loses to me, what does that say? He says he’s the guy to run around and advise all these kids on how to do it and stay in the amateurs and go around the world to get experience, which he’s done for years.
“Say he does all of that, loses to me, what does that say about his record? I’m expected to lose, the white-collar fighter is expected to lose against the Olympic bronze medallist. Put that on the title.
“Where do you go after? When you lose it’s done.”
Ahead of the highly anticipated clash between Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke we look back through the Sky Sports archives at some of the best British heavyweight battles of all time
Wardley deems the fight his final acid test before stepping up to the “next level”, and has vowed to drag Clarke to the “dark place” in which he believes he thrives in the ring.
“I love it there. It’s my favourite place to be,” he said.
“You can see it in my fights, I aim for that place. I’ll drag you down there with me and we’ll find out.
“You say you’ve got heart, let’s see if it’s there. I’ll stand there if you want to stand there.”
Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke faced off in London ahead of their ‘Bad Blood’ showdown for the British and Commonwealth titles on March 31
Wardley is undefeated at 17-0 having won 16 of his contests by way of knockout, including a seventh-round stoppage of fellow British heavyweight David Adeleye last October.
Clarke is primed for the most difficult outing of his short professional career as he looks to move to 9-0.
“Toughest one by about 100 miles compared to what I’ve been in with,” he said.
“A guy that is focused and ambitious, these are the hardest ones. It’s going to be a difficult night, but guess what? I’m prepared for that.”
Frazer Clarke and Fabio Wardley will collide in a ‘Bad Blood’ showdown for the British and Commonwealth titles on Sunday March 31 at The O2 in London, live on Sky Sports; the flamboyant Ben Whittaker will feature on the undercard, as will Viddal Riley vs Mikael Lawal.
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