Frazer Clarke's gripping heavyweight clash with Fabio Wardley for the British and Commonwealth titles ended in a draw; Clarke calls for a rematch next and promises: "I'll be back with a vengeance"; with a couple of changes Clarke explains why he is convinced he would win a second fight
Monday 1 April 2024 17:11, UK
Frazer Clarke has called for a rematch with British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley.
The two fought to a split draw in a tremendous contest at The O2 arena in London on Easter Sunday.
Clarke was wracked with emotion when he spoke to Sky Sports immediately after the fight.
"I wanted the titles," Clarke said with tears in his eyes. "I want to be champion.
"It's going to hurt for a little bit because I'm a winner.
"As much as I'm the nice guy who floats around and speaks to everyone there's a demon in me, that's wanting to get out. I'm a winner.
"I'll be back with a vengeance. I promise you now. I'll be back with a vengeance. I've not lost, I drew but I'll be back with a vengeance."
He does want an immediate rematch with Wardley.
"I hope so. I'd love a rematch. I'd love to fight Fabio again," he told Sky Sports.
"I know he's had more fights than me. He's a tough boy. As much as I'm trying to inspire a lot of people I think Fabio will inspire a lot of people because if you're tough and you're game, which I always knew, you can do something in boxing. Because he's got that about him."
But he added: "He didn't beat me."
During the fight Clarke was deducted a point for a low blow and he was dropped in the fifth round - moments that ultimately dictated the result.
"I'm not saying I let myself down. I'm saying I thought I was better than some of those daft right hands. I thought I was better than moving my feet in some of them situations. But listen, I'll live with it but it's a difficult one," Clarke said.
"I'll pick the bones out of that. I'll be so disciplined in my boxing a little bit more next time. And I hate saying that because there should be no next time. It's all about then.
"There's moments in fights where you have to switch it up and be a little bit more vicious. I stood in front of him a couple of times and there were a couple of times where I just needed to change that gear."
But he proved something about himself, especially when it came to rising from the canvas and coming back strongly in his first championship fight.
"Everyone at home is thinking I'm done there. I'm telling you now I know I wasn't done. I composed myself, tightened up a little bit. Banged a few jabs at him. Imagine if he missed by an inch with that shot, I win the fight," he sighed.
"It's some game. I do love it."
Clarke believes his performance will have changed some misperceptions about him as a professional boxer.
"I wasn't doing it to prove anything to anyone, I was doing it to win titles. But I hope [it proves something to] just a few people, not everyone because everyone's allowed their opinions, but just a few people who doubted this," he said pointing to his heart.
"Because let me tell you now, in Clarke from Islington, Jamaica, Burton-on-Trent, England, there's not a bigger one in the world.
"I feel like a lot of people in the industry had no respect for my name. I feel like Frazer Clarke was known as a nice guy for a long time and I am a nice guy [but] I hope I showed I'm made of the right stuff.
"With a few tweaks and changes I'll be a champion. I will be a champion. I promise you."
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!
