The best laid plans of mice, men and fight promoters often go awry. But on Saturday, following Fabio Wardley’s thrilling 11th-round stoppage of Joseph Parker to win an interim heavyweight title, Frank Warren was adamant.
"It's really simple: Oleksandr [Usyk] is a great champion,” Warren told DAZN after the fight. “His next fight will be against Fabio Wardley for the four belts. It's what he deserves for that performance.
"He said he wants it, so that's what it'll be.”
Because boxing is so famous for giving its participants exactly what they want, Wardley, 20-0-1 (19 KOs), can expect to challenge Usyk, 24-0 (15 KOs), for the undisputed championship in the near future. But in the event that complications arise, we should pause for a moment to appreciate all that Wardley has accomplished.
A 30-year-old from Ipswich, Suffolk, UK, Wardley graduated from a handful of white-collar boxing fights to the pros without the benefit of a single round of amateur experience. The latest of bloomers, Wardley turned professional in 2017 as a 22-year-old novice. After winning a four-rounder on points in his debut, he has clubbed his way from small halls to London’s O2 and Wembley Arenas to the precipice of fighting for boxing’s greatest prize: the heavyweight championship of the world.
"Fabio's is a story I've never seen before,” said Warren, whose Queensberry Promotions counts Wardley among the fighters on its roster. “Honestly, I'm amazed that someone who has zero amateur experience, with 20 fights, comes out and beats a [former] world champion.”
Wardley had to withstand and chip away at the big-swinging, iron-chinned Parker. But Wardley broke through in the 10th round, when New Zealand’s 33-year-old Parker finally began showing vulnerability. Wardley scarcely let him see daylight after that.
"He is so right with what he says,” Warren said of Wardley. “It is a 36-minute fight, but it only takes one second for him – and he does it time and time again.”
Would Wardley have a prayer of turning the trick against Usyk? Will he even get the chance? There isn’t much point in ruminating on it until Usyk (who, citing injury, already turned down a fight against Parker) reciprocates Wardley’s interest.
In the meantime, Warren has Saturday night to celebrate.
"What a fight,” Warren said. “That was edge-of-your-seat stuff. Credit to both of them."
Jason Langendorf is the former Boxing Editor of ESPN.com, was a contributor to Ringside Seat and the Queensberry Rules, and has written about boxing for Vice, The Guardian, Chicago Sun-Times and other publications. A member of the Boxing Writers Association of America, he can be found at LinkedIn and followed on X and Bluesky.
