Frazer Clarke's primary focus is on fighting Fabio Wardley; Clarke believes that British heavyweight title clash can take place in March; Clarke did though box Joe Joyce in a series of tremendous amateur bouts and still craves the opportunity to exact some professional revenge
Sunday 14 January 2024 21:01, UK
Frazer Clarke is focused on lining up a British heavyweight title fight with Fabio Wardley for March of this year.
But he also hopes that can lead him to renewing an old rivalry with Joe Joyce later in the year.
Clarke is on course to challenge Wardley for the British championship potentially in March.
"I think with conversations that I've had over the last few weeks, it's almost sorted," he told Sky Sports, though added: "I don't take much for granted till it's done.
"That's the fight I want. I presume it's the fight that Fabio wants. I think it's the fight that makes sense for both our careers."
Clarke is an Olympic bronze medallist who is just eight fights into his professional career. He has waited for his shot at Wardley's title, gaining experience with two further bouts before the end of last year.
But the only fight he wants now is the showdown with Wardley.
"I think it'll be a great show for the fans. I'm relishing the chance to really, properly put my name on the map a little bit and hopefully perform better than I've performed so far and show people what I'm really about," Clarke said.
He feels he can prove himself against Wardley.
"As of yet, I've not really had that standout performance that makes people stand up and think he's a serious force to be reckoned with. But I know where I'm at," the Burton heavyweight said. "There's a lot of questions going into this fight.
"I'm not sure he's as good as he thinks he is and the people around him think he is. But he's very impressive to say the least and so far so good in what he's done," he continued.
"This is a fight of two men that I think want to prove each other wrong."
Clarke has further ambitions as well. As an amateur boxer he had a ferocious rivalry with Joe Joyce, that saw them engage in a sequence of thrilling contests.
But Clarke is determined, finally, eventually, to get a win over him.
"The man in me, the fighter in me, it is what it is. Would I love to trade leather with him again? It would be an honour. It's a difficult night's work for anyone in the world. But I'd definitely do it," he said.
"He's 4-0 against me. One I had a swollen eye so it got stopped. I lost the other two fair and square," Clarke added. "I lost two of them on points but one of them I think I definitely won it.
"I definitely want to concentrate on Fabio, Joe Joyce is a totally different kettle of fish for me. Due to the way he lost to [Zhilei] Zhang I feel like there's been some unfair criticism of him. I think he's still a very good capable fighter."
Beating Wardley and becoming the British heavyweight champion, he believes could lead him to another meeting with Joyce.
"I respect Joe's position. I know where he's at," Clarke said.
"He's probably not looking backwards at me as of yet but how the next fight goes and who that's with, which I'm hoping is Fabio, it leaves me in position potentially to have a massive domestic fight with Joe Joyce."
