Fabio Wardley knows as well as anyone what it’s like to share the ring with some of the heavyweight division’s best names including Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk.
Ipswich-born Wardley is the latest Brit to try and reach the pinnacle of the heavyweight division which was ruled for a long time by the likes of Fury and Joshua. He is an unusual case in boxing in that he had no amateur experience before he turned professional.
That was in 2017 and since then he has had 19 fights and drawn just once against Frazer Clarke, though very much avenged that loss in the immediate rematch when he cleaned out the Olympic medalist with a first-round knockout.
That win saw him follow in the footsteps of Fury and Joshua by retaining the British and Commonwealth titles that he had picked up over the course of beating Nathan Gorman and David Adeleye.
In preparation for those fights over the last few years, he has had some high-level sparring against current or former British world champions, along with undisputed ruler Usyk.
However, speaking to The Sun, he claims that one other heavyweight contender hits harder than fighters such as Fury, Joshua and Usyk, and it is a man who is yet to win world honours.
“All the big names and top ten guys, I’ve ticked them all off, which is something I’m quite happy with and I’m thankful to them for giving me that opportunity. I’ve done more rounds with some than others.
Like with Joshua, I’ve only done maybe ten rounds in total, whereas with Hrgovic I spent about a month in Miami with him training and when you spend more time with someone there’s more opportunity for them to land some sweeter shots.
But, the single time I’ve been hit the hardest is Dillian Whyte I think when he’s caught me with that quick check left hook a few times and it catches you by surprise.”
Whyte’s next contest is on April 5th when he takes on another Brit in Joe Joyce and needs a win to keep his career alive, while Wardley is yet to announce his next contest.
