British heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley will return to the ring this weekend against rival Frazer Clarke to defend his English title a second time. The duo will lock horns on the undercard of the much-anticipated showdown between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

The last time these two heavyweights clashed, Wardley sent Clarke to the canvas in the fifth round. However, Clarke bounced back quickly, and the fight ultimately ended in a split-decision draw. Their rematch will settle the score once and for all, with the belt and all the glory on the line. But the burning question remains: Who will emerge victorious? Let’s break it down.

The winner on paper

Fabio Wardley, hailing from Ipswich, Suffolk, holds an impressive record of 17-0-1, with a staggering 16 victories coming by knockout. This gives him a remarkable 94.12% knockout ratio. Before meeting Clarke, Wardley was on a knockout spree, taking down every opponent in his path except his first opponent back in 2017.

Wardley has also shown tremendous skill in recent fights, finishing most of his opposition before the seventh round—his bout against Clarke being the sole exception. With 9 more fights to his name compared to Clarke, Wardley enters this rematch as the more seasoned fighter.

On the other side, Clarke, despite having less experience, boasts an 8-0-1 professional record with 6 knockouts, giving him a solid 75% knockout ratio. While this makes Fabio Wardley the heavier hitter on paper, Clarke has also proven his knockout power in the ring.

Clarke’s only non-stoppage fights were against durable opponents like Kamil Sokolowski and Mariusz Wach. However, Clarke has shown a tendency to struggle with low blows, having been deducted points in his first encounter with Wardley for repeated infractions—a pattern he also displayed in his previous bout with David Allen. It’s safe to say Clarke doesn’t shy away from playing rough.

On paper, Wardley seems to have the upper hand, especially with the experience advantage and his technical edge. However, given their closely contested first fight, this rematch is shaping up to be just as competitive.

Having dropped Clarke in their previous bout, Fabio Wardley may come out even more aggressive this time, aiming to finish the fight. Both men pack serious power, but with Wardley’s superior technical skills and knockout prowess, he’s likely to have his hand raised after what could be another grueling 12-round war.

Fabio Wardley vs. Frazer Clarke: Attributes

Despite having less experience, Frazer Clarke stands as the older contender in this matchup at 33 years of age. This gives Fabio Wardley a notable age advantage, as he is 29 years old and four years younger than his opponent. Clarke possesses a slight edge over his fellow compatriot when it comes to height,

Clarke measures 6′ 6″ (198 cm), while Wardley is the slightly shorter fighter at 6′ 5″ (196 cm). However, this minimal height difference is unlikely to confer any significant advantage to either fighter, as evidenced during their previous encounter.

In terms of reach, Clarke boasts a wingspan of 78 inches (198 cm), which matches Wardley’s identical reach of 78 inches (198 cm)—meaning neither competitor gains a substantial edge in this area either. Moving on to weight—this factor could prove crucial in the upcoming bout, as both fighters can strategically use their weight to drain their opponents.

While the final weigh-in figures are yet to be revealed, the weights from their previous bouts can provide insight into what they might weigh on fight night. Starting with the champion, Fabio Wardley weighed in at 243 pounds for his last fight against Clarke. Before that, the 29-year-old registered weights of 241 and 242.5 pounds in his last two matches, indicating that he may also weigh close to the 240-pound mark for the upcoming bout.

On the other hand, Clarke tends to weigh in significantly heavier, having come in at 266 pounds during their first fight. Historically, he has often weighed around the 270-pound mark, with his heaviest recorded weight reaching as high as 274 pounds. It remains uncertain what weight he will opt for this time.

It’s important to note that, as this is the heavyweight division, there is technically no upper limit to the weight. However, depending on the strategy Clarke aims to employ, he could choose to come in either lighter or heavier for the fight.

With those stats and scores out of the way, Fabio Wardley seems to have a slight edge over Frazer Clarke. However, whether this slight edge helps him secure a victory and defend his title is yet to be seen. Until then, share your predictions for the upcoming bout.