Clarke ‘angry and frustrated’ after Wardley purse bids saga derails title shot
F
razer Clarke has admitted he was “frustrated and angry” at his group’s choice to withdraw from purse bids for the proposed British title showdown with Fabio Wardley.
The British Boxing Board of Control ordered Wardley to defend his heavyweight title towards Clarke, unbeaten in his six skilled bouts and a bronze medallist on the 2020 Olympics, with the battle set to happen this summer season.
No deal could possibly be agreed between the 2 camps so purse bids have been referred to as, with Wardley’s promoter Eddie Hearn planning to stage the bout at Ipswich’s stadium Portman Road ought to he achieve success.
However, Ben Shalom, promoter of Clarke, withdrew on the day the purse bids have been scheduled for, since claiming that he doesn’t really feel his fighter is prepared for a 12-fight spherical and would love the title bout to return later within the 12 months as a substitute.
Hearn slammed the choice, stating his perception that Shalom and Sky Sports have been petrified of the battle ending up on DAZN, the streaming platform his Matchroom exhibits are broadcast on.
Writing in his Metro column, Clarke revealed his frustration on the episode and insisted the battle with Wardley was one he needed.
“It was deeply distressing, and I can’t lie, I was very upset at first,” Clarke stated.
“Upset, frustrated and angry because I wanted that fight for the British title so badly. In the last week or so, emotions have run high. I am still disappointed it is not happening, but I have looked at it from all the different angles.
“Everything happens for a reason and I hope something good will come out of this situation. It will take something bigger than this to derail me.”
Clarke will as a substitute return to motion on June 16 towards Mariusz Wach, the 43-year-old who challenged for Wladimir Klitschko’s world titles greater than a decade in the past and has since fallen to additional defeats towards Dillian Whyte and Hughie Fury.
Should Clarke transfer to 7-0 as anticipated, he’ll hope to show his consideration to greater and higher issues, with the heavyweight believing he’ll nonetheless be in a “massive fight” in 2023.
“I’ve had lots of phone calls, lots of meetings, a lot of things explained to me and lots of things guaranteed to me for the future,” Clarke stated.
“I’m not getting the fight I wanted but I am listening to the experienced heads around me and I know that this fight will happen at the right time and when it is at its biggest. After the meetings I’ve had I am very confident that I will have a massive fight before the end of this year.”