It is the equality of opponents that creates boxing’s finest nights not the greatness or dominance of one or the other. Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clark left London’s O2 Arena on Sunday night as a conspicuous example of this age-old truism. Wardley, the British and Commonwealth Champion, retained his titles with a draw few could argue was an accurate reflection of the equivalence of their efforts and success. Both retaining their unbeaten records also a fitting conclusion given the blood shed and the utter exhaustion they exhibited through the championship rounds.
Wardley’s nose had leaked from as early as the 2nd round and by the end of the fight the Ipswich base Champion had the appearance of a man bitten by a shark rather than one ‘merely’ being pummelled by the jabs and uppercuts of Big Fraze. For his part, Clarke had climbed off the canvas, been shaken more than once and regrouped sufficiently to push Wardley to the brink of collapse in the last round or so. The champion may have needed a miner’s lamp had he dug any deeper. It was exhilarating to watch and a sapping contest for both.
The battle proved a perfect alchemy of their divergent pathways through the sport and the inevitable technical chasm that exists between the two; Wardley, the former White Collar boxer with his instinct for an opponent’s vulnerability and unflinching appetite for conflict versus Clarke the former Olympic medalist, with his superior fundamentals and greater heft. An amalgam of their respective strengths would make for a formidable heavyweight but as in all things, the character, the art, the beauty of boxing is not necessarily found in perfection but more in the flaws a fighter possesses. The intangibles of heart and will and a fighter’s quest to overcome an opponent’s advantages and explore or expose their weaknesses is where the most memorable contests tend to be found. British title fights have an unerring knack of pitching just such imperfect foes together.
In the aftermath of their blood soaked encounter both men proved much to themselves, each other and the watching public, 1.7m tuning in on Sky Sports in the UK – a validation for a main event start time conducive to capturing more viewers. The fight will live long in the memory of those who gathered and will stand comparison with most of the British Heavyweight canon, the two men sacrificed much to elevate themselves to such heights.. Wardley demonstrated that his run to this point, despite a lack of Amateur fights, is no fluke and the natural power he possesses, his aggressive style and willingness to take his chances in a fire-fight will continue to endear him to fight fans for as long as his youth permits. This may be his ceiling in terms of levels, but he is a respectable hitter and will be more confident for traversing 12 rounds it would be easy to imagine.
Clarke catapults himself from the slumber of his career before Sunday night into the public consciousness. He too demonstrated resolve, durability and desire many have questioned in the face of low risk, low significance matchmaking thus far. As a commodity his stock grew exponentially in one fight. Aged 32, with 9 fights accumulated, the need for progress was urgent ahead of Sunday – his performance raised him a rung or two overnight. How he capitalises on that momentum is harder to contemplate if the next fight is not a rematch with Wardley – surely the most lucrative option for both – in the absence of even nominal contendership at world level.
A better problem to wrestle with than the apathy that had enveloped his name previously.
For now, both should be permitted to rest, heal and revel in the glory they wrought in 36 blood splattered minutes on Sunday.
BOXINGWRITER.CO.UK 
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