Boxxer are working on a rematch between Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke to headline the O2 Arena in August, a source has told i.
Wardley and Clarke fought to a brutal standstill on Easter Sunday. The back-and-forth battle ended in a split draw after both men could not be separated following 12 rounds of compelling action. Wardley retained his British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles, with Clarke calling for an immediate rematch in the aftermath of the result.
i understands there had been hope that it would take place at Portman Road – the home of Wardley’s beloved Ipswich Town – but it was considered no longer practical after Kieran McKenna’s side clinched promotion to the Premier League.
A Boxxer representative told i that no contracts have been signed, though privately there is an interest from all parties involved to make it happen next.
Wardley, 29, is a promotional free agent and is understood to be considering his options.
In his column for The Metro, Clarke revealed he is keen to run it back with Wardley and that a fight in Saudi Arabia is also a possibility.
“For me, I would love the rematch,” he wrote. “But there are other discussions going on too. I am flying out to Saudi Arabia next week for a chat. So there are huge things lined up either way but for the sake of my conscience, we need to do it again.”
Ben Shalom, the Boxxer founder who promotes Clarke, said he does not foresee any major obstacles if Wardley wants to fight for a second time. According to Shalom, Clarke intends to stay busy and is hoping to get back in the ring as soon as possible.
Shalom said: “It’s the biggest fight for both of them, and usually that means it happens.
“I think Fabio will need more time than Frazer, otherwise we’d be looking at running it back very soon.
“I believe it happens. Fabio’s a warrior – he wants the biggest fights, the biggest nights, just like Frazer does, and there’s no bigger fight now. I believe we’ll see it again.”
Wardley made his name competing on the white-collar circuit before turning professional in 2017. An Olympic bronze medallist, Clarke signed a deal with Boxxer in 2021, and has gone unbeaten as a pro since.
If the fight does go ahead as planned, it would make a fine addition to a busy summer for British boxing. On 15 June, Chris Billam-Smith will put his WBO cruiserweight title on the line against Richard Riakporhe at Selhurst Park, five years after their first meeting. Also on the undercard, Isaac Chamberlain challenges Michal Cieslak for the European cruiserweight championship.