Fabio Wardley is eagerly looking forward to his inaugural defense of the WBO world title, aiming for a date in the spring. With a variety of potential challengers on his radar, he is preparing for what promises to be an exciting matchup.
Wardley earned the championship title back in November when Oleksandr Usyk chose to vacate it instead of facing the Ipswich heavyweight in a mandatory bout. Now, as he steps into the role of champion, Wardley expresses a strong desire to have his first title defense take place in the UK, following his impressive victory over Joseph Parker in the 11th round at London’s O2 Arena during his last fight.
"We’re targeting either April or May for the defense, which should give us ample time to prepare with a proper training camp and everything else needed, although nothing is finalized just yet," Wardley shared in an interview with BBC Radio Suffolk.
The location of the fight will depend on various factors, including the opponent chosen. Wardley has a clear preference for his first defense to occur in the UK, yet he acknowledges that if a compelling opportunity arises, it would be difficult to turn it down due to the competitive nature of boxing at this level.
Moses Itauma, another British boxer, currently stands as the number one ranked challenger. However, he is slated to fight Jermaine Franklin in March, which opens the door for other contenders. This could include Filip Hrgovic, Agit Kabayel, and the experienced Derek Chisora, who are all candidates for the upcoming match against Wardley.
"At this stage of my career, there are no more backward steps. It’s likely I’ll face someone like Chisora, who is probably a more viable opponent compared to Kabayel," Wardley remarked. "We might also consider other names like Hrgovic or potentially Zhilei Zhang from China. We need to evaluate the WBO rankings and make our selections accordingly."
Wardley reflects on his journey, expressing pride in reaching this pinnacle of his boxing career after ten years of hard work. "It’s fantastic to be where I always aspired to be in professional boxing. I’ve worked diligently to earn my place, and now we have a range of options available to us."
He also harbors aspirations of fighting Usyk, who still holds the WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight titles. However, Wardley understands that he must be patient in this regard. "Ultimately, it's up to Usyk. The timing of a potential fight between us could be entirely at his discretion—it might happen soon, or it could be far off," he explained. "He has the authority in the division, having earned the right to dictate the terms."
Another high-profile opponent on Wardley’s wish list is former world champion Tyson Fury, who recently announced his return from retirement. "Fury is looking for a warm-up fight before attempting to secure a world title again this summer," the 31-year-old Wardley noted. "We were trying to pique his interest in fighting, but it seems he prefers to ease back into the ring gradually after a year away. Perhaps we can catch him for a bout this summer."
Wardley speculates that Usyk may hesitate to face Fury again soon, given that he has already defeated him twice. This scenario positions Wardley as a significant contender for Fury’s world title ambitions. "There are basically two routes for Fury—either me or Usyk. He might target my title first before seeking another shot at Usyk," he added.
For those interested, you can hear Graeme McLoughlin's full interview with Fabio Wardley on BBC Radio Suffolk, airing at 18:45 GMT on Friday.
