Seven months after their thrilling first bout, Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke will put it all on the line again as they both seek to put their rivalry to bed in Riyadh.
The two British heavyweights put on a superb show at the 02 Arena in March, with the pair settling for a draw after a thrilling 12-round showdown.
Clarke hit the canvas in the fifth round and was deducted a point in the seventh round of their first contest, but he battled hard and managed to take the fight to the scorecards.
In the build-up to their second showdown, both fighters have brashly predicted knockout victories and it promises to be another enthralling contest on the big stage.
The pair will fight on the undercard of Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol’s undisputed light-heavyweight showdown, with the likes of Chris Eubank Jr., Dave Allen, Johnny Fisher, Jai Opetaia and Jack Massey also set to be in action at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.
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Fabio Wardley to win by KO, TKO or Disqualification @ 6/4
Saturday’s card in Saudi Arabia promises to be another showstopper and there is every chance Wardley’s rematch with Clarke steals the headlines.
The two British heavyweights have aspirations of becoming world champion and a win for either man could set that up in the coming months.
In their first fight, Wardley seemed to have the upper hand when it came to power, but he could not do enough to nail Clarke to the canvas. As a result, he got reckless before suffering a huge cut to his nose, which disrupted his rhythm and allowed Clarke to build a platform.
Wardley retained his British, Commonwealth, European and WBA Continental titles thanks to their split decision draw but he will be desperate to put the record straight by winning this rematch.
The 29-year-old has won 17 fights, 16 by knockout, so he will want to make sure Clarke is his latest victim as he prepares to challenge for major honours.
Clarke does not have time on his side to be a world champion at 33, so a defeat for him would be a huge setback.
While he has also proven he has plenty of power, he has only had eight fights as a professional, and it is unclear how he can improve from the first contest.
Wardley is younger, hungrier and has more power, so he should have his hand raised this weekend.
Fabio Wardley to win in Rounds 7-12 @ 7/2
While Wardley should have enough quality to secure a knockout victory, he may need to be patient.
Both men have promised an early finish, but that is often bravado as they try to goad the other into a scrap.
Wardley has the better hand speed and he has vowed to learn from his mistakes, but he knows he cannot rush in and leave himself open.
The cut to his nose from the first fight could come back to haunt him, so Wardley’s best plan of attack should be to try and break Clarke down and force him to be reckless.
If he is successful with that plan, Wardley should be able to punish Clarke in the second half of the fight and he can record a memorable stoppage victory.
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