Fabio Wardley signing with a promoter will not prevent a rematch with Frazer Clarke, according to his team.
Rumors in boxing circles persist that the British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion, who has long relished his independence from a major promoter, will sign for one of the most influential in Britain.
There exists a risk that if that promoter is not BOXXER, who are guiding Clarke – the rival he drew with in so entertaining a contest in March – the sought-after rematch between them will be jeopardised, but his adviser Mike Ofo insists that Wardley’s determination to fight Clarke again means that that will be considered while they decide on his next move.
“With what we’re seeing in boxing now, promoters are willing to work together,” Ofo said. “They’re realising that there’s still money in it with working together. Fabio wants that fight, so he’s not gonna go and join a promoter that’s going to say, ‘No, that fight’s not on the cards’. If he’s to get involved with any promoter, his fundamental is he wants to have that rematch. If it doesn’t happen it’s not because of Fabio Wardley or because he’s joined with another network
“That’s a fight he wants and that we’ve been actively trying to make. If that fight doesn’t happen it’s nothing to do with Fabio Wardley; his instruction to us – his team – is to go out and make that fight happen. We’ve been speaking with [Clarke’s] promoter; we’ve been trying to get that fight made next; it’s a fight that he’s ecstatic about, and he’s got a lot of confidence that he can stop Frazer Clarke. It’s a fight we’re trying to make.
“Fabio’s an active heavyweight, so by the end of the year we want this rematch to take place. I don’t want to say too much, but we’re in the works of making it happen. In terms of our intention – our intention would be to have this fight as soon as possible.
“We want the fight. I can’t talk about what they say they want and what they actually want – maybe they’re two different things. I can confidently say that we want the fight and we are pushing for the fight to happen. I’m pretty confident [it’ll be next]. If we had both fighters it’d be done already. But we don’t, unfortunately. There is some confidence that the fight can still be next.
“It was a brutal fight, and it’s good for the boxer to have some downtime – mentally as well. We see the physical, but mentally it’s quite draining to have a fight like that. There was an assumption that his nose was broken, etcetera. His nose was fine. He was just bleeding heavily. Within a couple of weeks he was back feeling fine. We’re not gonna rush him into anything but he’s ready to go again. He’s back training. It’s a matter of when we can get a date. Hopefully, if we can get a deal over the line, that fight will happen.”
Wardley, 29, is managed by Dillian Whyte, and Ofo also said that Whyte is back in the gym and that his next fight will “definitely” take place before the conclusion of 2024, before responding to rumours of Wardley potentially signing with Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions with: “He’s a free agent and we’re talking to everybody, including Queensberry. He’s a hot property. If you’re a smart promoter you’d want him on board, so we’re having conversations with everyone.
“We always go fight by fight, so if it’s in his best interests – because it’s all about Fabio and his future – then he will remain a free agent. If somebody puts in an offer that we can’t refuse because it serves him well, then we will make the right decision to secure his future.”
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