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queensberry promoter frank warren Fabio looks to help Wardley’s fairy tale continue with spring bout at Wembley against the undisputed world heavyweight champion oleksandr usyk,
Wardley made the situation worse by stopping in the 11th round joseph parker To form at the O2 Arena on Saturday wbo Mandatory challenge for Usyk.
British heavyweight Wardley (20-0-1, 19KOs), repeating his dramatic win over Justice Hooney at Portman Road in June, didn’t let being behind on the judges’ scorecards affect him as the 30-year-old delivered a flurry of hooks and uppercuts in a thrilling contest.
There was controversy about referee Howard Foster’s stoppage, but Parker (36–4, 24KOs) landed only three of his 11 punches in round 11, with even his trainer Andy Lee admitting that he had “an opportunity to stop the fight”.
The nature of the stoppage should take nothing away from the remarkable rise of Wardley, who swallowed several big hits and silenced many of the doubters who scoffed at his path into the sport via white-collar boxing.
Warren said: “I’m pleased with his journey. So, if the fight happens, as I believe it will, he’ll be fighting for four belts. What a fairy tale it is.”
“It’s an accomplishment, just to get to that level and be able to do that.
“Obviously Usyk will go and he’ll be a big favorite. I understand that, but I tell you, if he catches him with one, he’s going to have an extraordinary chin.”
The WBO ordered Usyk to fight Parker in July, but now that Wardley is the mandatory challenger for that belt, negotiations over the final purse will begin soon.
A date in March was mentioned, with a venue in Wembley or Riyadh being the early front runners.
Warren said: “I think it would be sometime in March. I would love for it to be in the UK and there are only two places for it to be and where it could be. That would be in Riyadh or here.
“He’ll sell out Wembley. You know what you’re getting with Usyk and you know what you’re getting with Fabio. It’s going to be exciting. This guy has become one of the most exciting fighters in the world. He’s devastating.
“I’ve been in the business a long time and to see somebody with no amateur experience, that was his 21st fight, he’s learning on the job and come on, it’s amazing.”
Wardley was too weak to defeat Parker, who was on a six-fight winning streak and well ahead before referee Foster arrived.
Even though Parker took control after a back-and-forth start, including a spectacular second round, it was Wardley who landed more of the punches with 166 successful punches compared to 132.
“That was a perfect stoppage, absolutely perfect,” Warren said.
“What do they want to see? He’s completely passed out on the floor?”
“If you’re not counter-punching, the referee can intervene.”
Parker’s trainer Lee reluctantly agreed, saying: “Joe was taking a lot of shots, but a lot of them were blocked.
“He was taking something and there was a chance to stop the fight and they stopped it. Was it fair? It was a fight. It could have been the other way but that’s the nature of the sport.”