
Ben Shalom, the Wardley-Clarke purse bid and a thaw in hostilities
Boxxer promoter Ben Shalom’s management of purse bids has taught him some valuable lessons since he started mixing with boxing's most influential.
Frazer Clarke: record, next fight and profile →

Boxxer promoter Ben Shalom’s management of purse bids has taught him some valuable lessons since he started mixing with boxing's most influential.

Fabio Wardley signing with a promoter will not prevent a rematch with Frazer Clarke, according to his team

Eddie Hearn believes that 25-year-old heavyweight Johnny Fisher, 11-0 (10 KOs), is on target to challenge for the British title if he beats Alen Babic on July 6 at the Copper Box Arena in Hacney Wick, London.

The heavyweight division, like plenty of its biggest stars, is enjoying something of a resurgence. The leaders suddenly can’t get enough of fighting each other as an exciting era verges on becoming a great one. Here we examine all the key players, their strengths and weaknesses, alongside what the future of those fighters – and the division as a whole – may look like.

Heavyweight Frazer Clarke’s swellings may have healed, but the former Olympian is still feeling the emotional pain after his attritional and thrilling encounter with Fabio Wardley on March 31.

Ukrainian boxing is coming off what is surely its most successful week yet. It started in Australia on May 12 when Vasiliy Lomachenko knocked out George Kambosos Jr. for the IBF lightweight title. On May 18 in Saudi Arabia, Oleksandr Usyk scored a split decision win against Tyson Fury to become the undisputed heavyweight champion. Hours later in San Diego, Denys Berinchyk beat Emanuel Navarrete via split decision to win the vacant WBO lightweight title.

Frazer Clarke has played down the potential advantage presented to Oleksandr Usyk over Tyson Fury by the Ukrainian's decorated amateur career.

Boxxer promoter Ben Shalom hopes the pace-setters for the heavyweight fight of the year will meet again before the end of 2024. In March, British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion Frazer Clarke and Fabio Wardley shared 12 memorable rounds at the O2 in London and, in the end, could not be separated by the judges. Clarke had been down, Wardley had been rocked, and the latter’s nose had been broken.

Fabio Wardley’s rest and relaxation time is over. The British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion has taken a few weeks to recover from his bruising encounter with Frazer Clarke and has recently been tripping the light fantastic celebrating his beloved Ipswich Town’s promotion to the Premier League after an absence of 22 years.

Heavyweight Frazer Clarke has confirmed that he will be heading to Saudi Arabia to discuss possible opportunities but insists that a rematch with Fabio Wardley remains his priority following their British and Commonwealth heavyweight title fight at the O2 Arena, London, in March. Clarke (8-0-1, 6 KOs) and Wardley (17-0-1, 16 KOs) fought to a draw in a thrilling spectacle in the British capital. Clarke rose from the canvas and attempted to bludgeon a bloodied and swollen Wardley into submission to wrestle away the domestic titles from the Ipswich native. The ebb and flow of the fight instantly made it a fight-of-the-year contender as promoter Ben Shalom seemingly prioritized running the contest back as soon as possible.