Frazer Clarke, despite being just seven fights in to his professional career, is already one of the most talked about fighters in British boxing.
Much has been made of the quality (or lack thereof) of some of Clarke’s opposition, which he himself has expressed frustration at.
Clarke had a much needed step up in levels earlier this month, when he took on experienced Polish gatekeeper Mariusz Wach, and ground out a wide unanimous decision victory at York Hall.
In his column in The Mirror, former world champion Barry McGuigan offered some extensive advice to Clarke as he looks to continue adapting to the professional game.
“I like Clarke, but he has to concentrate on punching harder and sitting down on his shots instead of just placing punches.
He is an Olympic bronze medallist. He’s got the tools, quick hands, but he needs to work on power, or more accurately, explosiveness.”
“Clarke dipped Wach’s knees a few times with a right hook and hit him hard to the body, but he needed to do that again and again. He is afraid to let the punches go on in case he runs out of gas.”
“Professional boxing is all about entertainment. You have to be able to inject pace and take guys out even when you’re flagging.”
“Clarke turns 32 in August, which ought to be all the encouragement he needs to put his foot down and make the most of that Olympic legacy.”
The likes of Dillian Whyte and Wladimir Klitschko also failed to stop the notoriously tough Wach, so Clarke should feel no shame that ‘The Viking’ made it to the final bell.
Fans will hope a fight between Clarke and British heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley awaits in the not too distant future, given the debacle surrounding ‘Big Fraze’s last minute withdrawal from purse bids for the fight earlier this year.