By Elliot Worsell
Instead of viewing the draw between Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke as a disappointment after an intense 12 rounds of quality action, it is more appropriate to see it as a testament to the competitive and captivating nature of their heavyweight fight at London’s O2 Arena on March 31.
Both Wardley and Clarke, previously rivals, experienced a complete exchange of everything tonight. This included blood, shifts in momentum, and various other aspects. It almost seemed fitting that after sharing so much for 36 minutes, they would end the fight standing on either side of referee Steve Gray, whose shirt was stained by Wardley’s blood. They both left with the same emotions of disappointment, regret, and relief. Despite neither man being satisfied with the outcome, which resulted in a draw by scores of 114-113 for Wardley, 115-112 for Clarke, and 113-113, there is no worse feeling than enduring a grueling fight like tonight’s and coming away empty-handed. Ultimately, their efforts were futile and wasted.
If the fight ends in a draw, both men will maintain their undefeated status and will be motivated to face each other again in the future. From a selfish perspective, a draw would be the perfect result since a fight of this caliber deserves to be witnessed once more. Additionally, a rematch between Clarke and Wardley would be exceptionally captivating as they have both successfully completed the full 12 rounds for the first time in their individual careers.
In reality, the opponent they were facing tonight was the fear itself, evident in their anxious expressions and frantic movements. Both of them desired to conquer this fear by compelling their opponent to fight the way they preferred. Clarke aimed for a leisurely amateur fight, allowing him to carefully choose his shots and maintain control with his jab. Conversely, Wardley yearned to lure Clarke into his preferred style of fighting, which was a gritty white-collar brawl.
While Wardley, who gained experience in the white-collar circuit, is not an unruly dilettante, his attacks and attitude possess a certain ruggedness and unorthodoxy that were bound to be intimidating for someone like Clarke. Clarke, being highly prescribed, well-schooled, and occasionally monotonous, found Wardley’s approach to be somewhat of an antidote.
Throughout the match, the clear difference between these two formidable opponents resulted in a captivating display of skill and intensity. It was never obvious which fighter would gain the upper hand in the battle. Initially, Clarke seemed to have the advantage with his refined technique and powerful jab, suggesting he would establish a lead. However, Wardley swiftly entered the second round, aiming to disrupt Clarke’s composure. In a surprising turn of events, Wardley landed a powerful right hook that rattled Clarke, marking the first significant impact of the fight.
However, the cost of these exchanges proved to be the only drawback for Wardley. Throughout the remainder of the fight, he had to contend with a cut on his nose, which initially bled in a controlled manner during the second and third rounds. However, as the fight progressed, the bleeding intensified quite dramatically. The severity of the cut left one questioning how Wardley would manage the injury, and whether the referee, Steve Gray, would permit it to be attended to.
Fortunately, Wardley exhibited minimal signs of distress caused by the blood streaming down his nose. If anything, he viewed it as a source of inspiration, with the sight of it intensifying the prevailing sense of urgency.
Clark is targeted by Wardley’s right hook.
During the fifth round, Wardley once again disconcerted Clarke with a right hand, specifically a pull-back right hand. The force of the blow was so significant that Wardley decided to pursue a knockout, even though only 30 seconds were left in the round. As soon as Wardley noticed Clarke’s vulnerability, he immediately launched an aggressive attack. After a barrage of punches, Wardley ultimately succeeded in knocking Clarke down, leaving him desperate for an escape, with approximately 10 seconds left in the fifth round.
Despite rising to the occasion, Clarke couldn’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment. He was disheartened by being caught off guard, and even more so by the fact that he was captured alongside someone he had long regarded as a competitor.
However, vanity aside, what truly mattered was Clarke’s reaction to the knockdown. To his credit, he handled it well and managed to disrupt Wardley’s momentum in the following round, the sixth. Clarke also regained the composure he had briefly lost in the fifth round. At this point, Clarke was dominating with his right uppercut, a favored punch of his since the second round. He repeatedly landed this punch successfully, taking advantage of Wardley’s lack of defense and leaving an opening for it.
However, fatigue was imminent, causing both of them to decrease their performance in the seventh round. Their exhaustion also contributed to a decline in the quality of their moves, particularly evident in Clarke’s body shots. These shots had been progressively becoming lower and sloppier, resulting in a point deduction for Clarke during round seven, which ultimately had a significant impact on the outcome of the fight. As a result, Clarke found himself in a position of trying to make up for lost ground, having already been knocked down in round five and penalized with a point deduction in round seven, despite his overall decent performance.
Wardley, on the other hand, had different concerns occupying his mind. With seven rounds already behind him, he found himself venturing into unfamiliar territory. This fact was evident in his desperate attempts to connect punches in the eighth round. Uncertain of when or if he would regain his energy, Wardley seemed determined to conclude the fight then and there. His main objective was to deliver a powerful right hook to Clarke once more, ensuring a swift victory before calling it a day.
In the meantime, Clarke displayed remarkable composure, earning him both the eighth and ninth rounds. During the ninth round, Wardley began displaying signs of distress: his nose was bloodier than before, he momentarily slipped on the canvas, and he appeared unsteady on his feet. The referee, possibly sensing this as well, called for the ringside doctor to examine Wardley’s dreadful cut in the tenth round.
This ended up being an interesting flashpoint, in fact, because upon the restart Wardley, having had a few seconds to rest and reload, landed a huge right hand on Clarke which sent the challenger spiralling once more. Then, as if to get his own back, Clarke just as soon lost his gumshield, which in turn meant he would also get a timeout, one he very much needed given the damage done to him by Wardley’s right cross.
Both fighters were clearly showing signs of damage and tiredness by now. It was evident to everyone, especially in round 11 where both fighters were pushing themselves to new limits. Clarke, who was only familiar with round 10 prior to tonight, found himself being outworked for the most part, even though the work being done was more methodical than artistic. However, Clarke managed to gather enough strength in the final round to finally hurt Wardley, landing a powerful right hand while Wardley was hesitating near the ropes.
However, it proved insufficient. Despite the belief that he had exerted his entire being in the fight (to the extent that he found himself seated on the canvas before a stool could even reach the ring), Clarke, along with Wardley, found themselves falling short. This feeling can be disheartening for a boxer, but then it dawns on you that neither individual emerged as the loser.
Not only did they manage to avoid losing, but Wardley and Clarke continued the trend of successful British title fights in 2024. Their performance not only lived up to the pre-fight hype but also justified the possibility of a future rematch. As I watched them box at the O2, I couldn’t help but imagine the potential of combining their individual strengths to create a fighter capable of surpassing domestic level and even achieving world honors. Just envision it: Clarke’s composure and technical skills, currently 8-0-1 (6), merged with Wardley’s toughness and raw power, boasting a record of 17-0-1 (16). It would truly be a perfect match.
