Fabio Wardley drew with Frazer Clarke to retain the British and Commonwealth heavyweight championships; Olympic bronze medallist Clarke began brightly just for Wardley to return roaring again into the competition, scoring a fifth-round knockdown earlier than each males slugged it out to the end
By John Dennen, Sports journalist
Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke drew in an epic heavyweight contest that proved too near name.
After 12 breath-taking rounds on one card Wardley gained 114-113, on one other Clarke had it 115-112 and on the third they had been stage 113-113.
Clarke needed to rise from a knockdown in the fifth spherical and had some extent deducted for a low blow, moments that proved to be decisive.
An Olympic bronze medallist in 2021, Clarke was taking by far the largest step up of his skilled profession difficult Wardley for the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles.
Their bout was freighted with private significance too, with Wardley mocking Clarke ever since he contentiously withdrew from a mandated purse bid final 12 months.
In the next months, anticipation for his or her contest solely constructed, with 13,000 supporters packing into the O2 to create an uproarious environment.
It turned this into essentially the most important British heavyweight title fight since Anthony Joshua beat Dillian Whyte at this similar area in 2015.
Watch Fabio Wardley flooring Frazer Clarke on the finish of the fifth spherical throughout their title fight on the O2 Arena
Clarke was combating for these titles in simply his ninth skilled contest. Nevertheless, early on, he stored his composure.
He stepped again from a whipping proper and frequently utilized his jab. Clarke’s cross shuddered in opposition to a well-held guard and Clarke turned a fragile punch into the physique.
Wardley burst ahead to start out the second spherical, heavy hooks flying at Clarke. The challenger retreated right into a nook underneath that strain and he needed to manoeuvre himself out of hassle.
He did so and hit again with energy punches of his personal.
A agency proper met Wardley who, only for a second, buckled. That although simply spurred the Ipswich man on. He charged at Clarke, wielding harmful punches but once more.
But Clarke picked out efficient uppercuts to tag his rival.
Wardley’s nostril was bloodied by the third spherical. But even when Clarke landed with gorgeous pressure, the champion regrouped and fired again.
He whipped his proper excessive in the fifth spherical and clipped Clarke with a stern mixture.
A pointy proper caught Clarke as he was throwing and Wardley lined up extra huge hits, blasting the challenger off his toes.
Clarke beat the depend and the bell rang to finish the spherical earlier than Wardley might press the onslaught dwelling.
To begin the sixth spherical Wardley drove Clarke again with jabs earlier than shaking him with an enormous uppercut. The challenger although defused an assault with an uppercut of his personal.
Clarke misplaced some extent when the referee warned him for a low blow in the seventh spherical. He nonetheless discovered hurtful photographs to the top although, timing a left hook and ripping a proper uppercut by way of.
Natasha Jonas and Johnny Nelson analyse Frazer Clarke’s three low blows in opposition to Fabio Wardley
Snorting blood from his broken nostril, Wardley hacked hooks into Clarke’s physique. Clarke although simply beat Wardley to the punch along with his proper cross.
A lightweight punch simply tipped Wardley away. By the ninth around the champion gave the impression to be flagging, a number of the power leaking out of his efforts.
Still they engaged furiously in the subsequent spherical. But referee Steve Gray summoned the physician to examine Wardley’s nostril.
Wardley responded to that, catching Clarke with a monstrous proper and forcing the challenger to clinch.
However, thrown right into a Wardley assault, Clarke’s cross stopped his opponent in his tracks.
It was gripping, compelling motion. Wardley went at him to start out the ultimate spherical too. Clarke, respiration closely, nonetheless powered a proper hook into the physique, straining to discover a breakthrough.
A slashing proper hook to the chin did drive Wardley to the ropes. But the proud champion didn’t keep there, combating to the tip. He retained his titles, however neither man misplaced.