Frank Warren, promoter of Queensbury Promotions, has strongly responded to Ben Shalom’s statements, who implied that the gloves used by Fabio Wardley in his victory over Frazer Clarke deserve to be investigated. In a recent interview with BoxNation, Warren dismissed the accusations as unfounded and ridiculous, labeling Shalom’s comments as a “stupid and slanderous statement.”
Frank Warren clarified that the “Fly” gloves used in the fight are approved by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC).
According to Warren, these gloves were provided by the event promoter, Queensbury Promotions, which organized the event in Riyadh. Warren explained in detail the process of glove selection and supervision, from their sealed delivery to the final inspection in the dressing rooms, where they were placed in front of the opposing team and reviewed by the referee in the ring.
In Warren’s words, “If Ben had such a problem with the gloves, why didn’t he attend the rules meeting and bring it up?” He also noted that Clarke’s coach was the only one present at the meeting, and while he initially expressed that he didn’t like the “Fly” gloves, he accepted that they were approved, thus ending the matter.
Additionally, Warren lashed out at Shalom, calling him “Inspector Clueless” and criticizing him for raising the issue of the gloves without having evidence or an ongoing investigation. “Frazer acknowledged he was beaten fair and square, and that should be the end of it. It’s madness,” Warren added. He also called the situation an unnecessary distraction that took attention away from what was a great night of boxing in Riyadh.
Warren revealed that Fabio Wardley and his team are upset by the cheating insinuations, as they directly affect his reputation. “If someone cheated, that’s worse than PEDs. It’s an outrageous statement,” Warren emphasized, adding that Shalom will have to publicly apologize for discrediting the sport and those involved in the event.
The British Boxing Board of Control, according to Warren, has already declared that there is no ongoing investigation regarding the gloves. “What investigation is Clueless doing? He doesn’t even have the gloves,” added the promoter. At the same time, he assured that Frazer Clarke, who lost by technical knockout, has not supported any of Shalom’s statements.
“I also want to make it clear that Frazer Clarke hasn’t said any of this. He’s an absolute gentleman, not stupid. He knows he was beaten fair and square on the night,” said Warren.
When asked if he would take Ben Shalom to the Board, Frank Warren hinted that they are taking steps beyond legal measures, without specifying if they will proceed with a lawsuit.
“You heard what he said. He’s claiming there was something wrong with the gloves, and we as promoters are responsible. We were responsible for the event,” Warren commented, reminding that Queensbury was in charge of managing the event on behalf of Sauerland and the Riyadh Season.
Finally, Warren showed little interest in speculating about Shalom’s motivations, suggesting that his comments might be an attempt to discredit Wardley’s victory. “Listen, Shalom had four fighters that night—two of them lost. One was lucky not to be beaten when he fell out of the ring. It was a great night in Riyadh, and that’s what we should be talking about, not this garbage,” Warren noted.
Despite the controversy, Warren remained focused on what’s next for Fabio Wardley, hinting that a fight against Jared Anderson could be on the horizon and even mentioning the possibility of a clash with Deontay Wilder.
“Yes, it was mentioned, but I said I have no problem with that fight. Fabio even said he’d fight Wilder next. I think people would buy into that, don’t you?”
In his own words, Frank Warren assured that there is no rush to decide Wardley’s next fight, but made it clear that interest in a high-profile fight is growing.
“But no rush. Always make the right moves at the right time,” Warren concluded.
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