Fabio Wardley promised a knockout win as he and Frazer Clarke faced off at The O2 arena ahead of Sunday's heavyweight dust-up; Clarke fights Wardley for the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles live on Sky Sports on Easter Sunday
Thursday 28 March 2024 09:55, UK
Frazer Clarke insists the time for talking is over as he prepares to face Fabio Wardley in the heavyweight duo's 'Bad Blood' clash on Easter Sunday.
The Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist will challenge for Wardley's British and Commonwealth titles in the main event at The O2 arena this weekend as both put their unbeaten professional records on the line.
The pair have been embroiled in a back-and-forth since Clarke's non-participation in purse bids for the mandated fight last year, with Wardley accusing his opponent of "ducking him".
Clarke, who has repeatedly denied his role in his withdrawal, says his mind is entirely focused on fight night.
"It just got very real, seeing Fabio this close to the fight definitely got the heart rate going a bit which is a good thing for me, let's me know I'm alive and that this is real," said Clarke at Wednesday's face-off at The O2.
"We've both done well selling this fight, but that's over now, it's business time. All the talking should be done in the ring.
"It's just a boxing match, every time I enter the ring I aim to leave victorious and that's all it is now. All those mind games and talking, the bad blood, it's there but at a competitive nature.
"I'm not here to entertain people and be a clown. You see it a lot in boxing these days with people having to do stuff outside the ring to bring attention to themselves.
"I'd like to believe myself and Fabio are both here to act with some integrity and put on a good display."
Wardley echoed his rival's sentiment as he looks to build on his perfect 17-0 record, having been the more active of the two when it has come to pre-fight jibes.
The 29-year-old deems Sunday's fight as "another step" in the journey that has seen him rise from a white-collar background to reign as British champion.
"It's normal now, all the fun and games have been had, all the hard work has been done," said Wardley. "It's really now just full focus mode towards the fight.
"We've had a few face-offs along the way now, I've seen enough of him and we don't need to do too many more theatrics.
"It's been a fantastic ride and fantastic story along the way but this is all this is to me, just another one to tick off and keep the story moving.
"I'm here to entertain and put on a show for fans. It's always going to be a Fabio Wardley win and a knockout."
Frazer Clarke and Fabio Wardley will collide in a 'Bad Blood' showdown for the British and Commonwealth titles on Sunday March 31 at The O2 in London, live on Sky Sports; the flamboyant Ben Whittaker will feature on the undercard, as will Viddal Riley vs Mikael Lawal.
You can now start receiving messages and alerts for the latest breaking sports news, analysis, in-depth features and videos from our dedicated WhatsApp channel.
