After plenty of verbal back and forth Frazer Clarke and Fabio Wardley have finally agreed to fight one another but Clarke says details in the contract suggest Wardley doesn’t back himself to win.
Clarke is finally getting a shot at the British title after a saga last year in which his promoter, Boxxer, pulled him out of a purse bid and ensuing contract negotiations saying that they believed he wasn’t ready for the fight. At the time, Wardley called Clarke a coward.
Clarke is 32 and a former Olympic medallist, while British champion Wardley, 25, has a background in white collar boxing and has had twice as many professional fights. He is unbeaten since turning pro in 2017, though sparred six rounds with Clarke a few years ago.
Clarke is coming off his 16th straight knockout after beating David Adeleye on the Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou card, while Clarke went 10 rounds against former world title challenger Mariusz Wach and then retired British rival David Allen with a perforated eardrum.
Speaking to TalkSport, Clarke was asked if there was a rematch clause. Wardley said no, but Clarke jumped in.
“He put a load of daft clauses in the contract just in case, do you know what I mean, he can tell you the things he put in.”
Wardley explained that, “there are things in there contractually just to cover certain circumstances.”
Clarke then goaded his rival.
“When you don’t back yourself that’s the sort of thing you put in there.”
Wardley felt moved to explain the exact clause for a rematch.
“It’s a rematch based on the cut under my chin opening under any circumstance, basically.”
The pair will settle their differences on March 31 at the O2 Arena in London, live on Sky Sports.