Fabio Wardley vs. Frazer Clarke | Sky Sports - 31 March 2024

[Twinkle Toes]

I'd be genunely surprised if Clarke is allowed to fight on another channel. Same with all those olympians who signed for big money with SKY.

[maverick23]

Wardley's been relentless on Twitter today as well, I must've seen a 100 retweets from him slaughtering Clarke, hopefully it forces his and Shalom's hand

He’s trying to force Clarke’s hand which is good I think. Makes it more interesting.

Wardley’s also come out and said Shalom was wrong with him saying that the offer for the Clarke fight was his career highest. Said he got paid more in his last fight on the AJ card and would post the invoice if Ben/Boxxer post how much they offered.

Ben also said it may be record pay for a British title fight. So more than AJ got on PPV against Whyte? More than Degale/Groves got for their British title fight? Rubbish.

[handsofstone]

Getting a bit embarrassing for Shalom and Boxxer, even Sky Sports posting it,

I fckn warned everyone about your constant berating of Adam Smith, I knew Sky would miss him, nearly everything Sky do these days is just a bit meh, I miss his growling, I always liked him and nearly everyone on here convinced me he was terrible and I eventually came around that way of thinking, well I hope everyone's proud of themselves

#ComeBackAdam

[Ruthless-RKO]

Wardley's been relentless on Twitter today as well, I must've seen a 100 retweets from him slaughtering Clarke, hopefully it forces his and Shalom's hand

He’s trying to force Clarke’s hand which is good I think. Makes it more interesting.

Wardley’s also come out and said Shalom was wrong with him saying that the offer for the Clarke fight was his career highest. Said he got paid more in his last fight on the AJ card and would post the invoice if Ben/Boxxer post how much they offered.

Ben also said it may be record pay for a British title fight. So more than AJ got on PPV against Whyte? More than Degale/Groves got for their British title fight? Rubbish.

I think AJ for between £2m to £4m for the Whyte bout.

Most of it was probably down to PPV’s. Did well anyway. 400k buys was it?

[maverick23]

Getting a bit embarrassing for Shalom and Boxxer, even Sky Sports posting it,

I fckn warned everyone about your constant berating of Adam Smith, I knew Sky would miss him, nearly everything Sky do these days is just a bit meh, I miss his growling, I always liked him and nearly everyone on here convinced me he was terrible and I eventually came around that way of thinking, well I hope everyone's proud of themselves

#ComeBackAdam

From what I’ve heard Adam won’t be going back.

I was pretty indifferent to him as a commentator but he was passionate about the sport and he was accountable for boxing on Sky and I suppose with that was responsible for quality control.

The regular stuff on Sky Sports this year has been poor so far. Really poor in fact although I am looking forward to the CBS/Okolie show.

Whether it’s Adam Smith or someone else I think Sky needs someone to hold Boxxer accountable and demand better.

[handsofstone]

Getting a bit embarrassing for Shalom and Boxxer, even Sky Sports posting it,

I fckn warned everyone about your constant berating of Adam Smith, I knew Sky would miss him, nearly everything Sky do these days is just a bit meh, I miss his growling, I always liked him and nearly everyone on here convinced me he was terrible and I eventually came around that way of thinking, well I hope everyone's proud of themselves

#ComeBackAdam

From what I’ve heard Adam won’t be going back.

I was pretty indifferent to him as a commentator but he was passionate about the sport and he was accountable for boxing on Sky and I suppose with that was responsible for quality control.

The regular stuff on Sky Sports this year has been poor so far. Really poor in fact although I am looking forward to the CBS/Okolie show.

Whether it’s Adam Smith or someone else I think Sky needs someone to hold Boxxer accountable and demand better.

Really? I thought Smith's absence was only temporary, that's a shame that, he's been one of the voices of boxing in all my lifetime, tbh I've mentioned before I don't get too hung on comms and pundits either way, good or bad, there are some good I really like listening to like Jones, Frampton and Poncher but there's too many people who don't do anything for me

[maverick23]

Getting a bit embarrassing for Shalom and Boxxer, even Sky Sports posting it,

I fckn warned everyone about your constant berating of Adam Smith, I knew Sky would miss him, nearly everything Sky do these days is just a bit meh, I miss his growling, I always liked him and nearly everyone on here convinced me he was terrible and I eventually came around that way of thinking, well I hope everyone's proud of themselves

#ComeBackAdam

From what I’ve heard Adam won’t be going back.

I was pretty indifferent to him as a commentator but he was passionate about the sport and he was accountable for boxing on Sky and I suppose with that was responsible for quality control.

The regular stuff on Sky Sports this year has been poor so far. Really poor in fact although I am looking forward to the CBS/Okolie show.

Whether it’s Adam Smith or someone else I think Sky needs someone to hold Boxxer accountable and demand better.

Really? I thought Smith's absence was only temporary, that's a shame that, he's been one of the voices of boxing in all my lifetime, tbh I've mentioned before I don't get too hung on comms and pundits either way, good or bad, there are some good I really like listening to like Jones, Frampton and Poncher but there's too many people who don't do anything for me

Yeah. Heard from someone who works at Sky Sports. He wasn’t definite but said he was pretty sure based on what he’d heard.

There aren’t many commentators or pundits that I don’t like. Only one I really struggle to listen to is McIntosh as he’s the antithesis to the less is more approach that I think the best ones use.

I like Andy Clarke. I’d be happy for him to get the main play-by-play role long term. I still think they could do with a head of boxing though.

[handsofstone]

From what I’ve heard Adam won’t be going back.

I was pretty indifferent to him as a commentator but he was passionate about the sport and he was accountable for boxing on Sky and I suppose with that was responsible for quality control.

The regular stuff on Sky Sports this year has been poor so far. Really poor in fact although I am looking forward to the CBS/Okolie show.

Whether it’s Adam Smith or someone else I think Sky needs someone to hold Boxxer accountable and demand better.

Really? I thought Smith's absence was only temporary, that's a shame that, he's been one of the voices of boxing in all my lifetime, tbh I've mentioned before I don't get too hung on comms and pundits either way, good or bad, there are some good I really like listening to like Jones, Frampton and Poncher but there's too many people who don't do anything for me

Yeah. Heard from someone who works at Sky Sports. He wasn’t definite but said he was pretty sure based on what he’d heard.

There aren’t many commentators or pundits that I don’t like. Only one I really struggle to listen to is McIntosh as he’s the antithesis to the less is more approach that I think the best ones use.

I like Andy Clarke. I’d be happy for him to get the main play-by-play role long term. I still think they could do with a head of boxing though.

Oh I forgot about McIntosh I love him haha, Andy Clarke's good as well

[Deserter]

Getting a bit embarrassing for Shalom and Boxxer, even Sky Sports posting it,

I fckn warned everyone about your constant berating of Adam Smith, I knew Sky would miss him, nearly everything Sky do these days is just a bit meh, I miss his growling, I always liked him and nearly everyone on here convinced me he was terrible and I eventually came around that way of thinking, well I hope everyone's proud of themselves

#ComeBackAdam

Wasn't it Smith who brokered the Boxxer deal?

[jameswilson]

I don’t think Boxxer and Matchroom will be the only bidders.

[jameswilson]

Just seen on boxrec that Clarke’s York Hall opponent is locked in as Harry Armstrong, the guy who took Jamie TKV the distance a few fights back.

Hopefully it’s not a 6 rounder.

[maverick23]

So purse bids are in an hour. If they happen then I reckon the winning bid will be something like £400k.

[garethhop]

I asked a casual at work just now. He thinks he knows who Clarke is (Im not convinced) and has no idea who Fabio Wardley is.

[maverick23]

https://www.skysports.com/boxing/news/1 ... itle-fight

Doesn’t bode well for purse bids.

If they have made Wardley a substantial offer then add Clarke’s minimum to it and that’s the purse bid.

I’m waiting for purse bids to be cancelled tomorrow morning now.

Boxxer removed Clarke from the bids so not happening.

Unfortunately too predictable.

So Ben was the promoter who’d work with everyone and it was team Clarke who asked for the fight. Go figure.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Here’s the tweet

[Nightmare Roy]

https://www.skysports.com/boxing/news/1 ... itle-fight

Doesn’t bode well for purse bids.

If they have made Wardley a substantial offer then add Clarke’s minimum to it and that’s the purse bid.

I’m waiting for purse bids to be cancelled tomorrow morning now.

Boxxer removed Clarke from the bids so not happening.

Unfortunately too predictable.

So Ben was the promoter who’d work with everyone and it was team Clarke who asked for the fight. Go figure.

Boxing eh

[maverick23]

I asked a casual at work just now. He thinks he knows who Clarke is (Im not convinced) and has no idea who Fabio Wardley is.

I’m not overly surprised. Clarke was on the Khan/Brook PPV plus has had the Sky hype machine. I remember seeing him on Sky Sports News with Ricky Hatton having a debate about Only Fools.

Wardley’s last handful of fights have been on undercards on DAZN which we all know his limited viewers at present.

This still would have been a real good fight that would have generated a fair bit of buzz regardless of what channel it’s on. Obviously would generate more if it were on Sky but it’s shame we won’t see it for now.

[a force]

Shame but I never expected it to go ahead.

Deep down I don’t think either promoter want it yet. My guess is Shalom pushed for him to be made mandatory expecting Wardley to vacate & fight for a world ranking belt but Hearn called his bluff as he knows there’s something in Clarke’s contract saying he has to fight on Sky.

If you think back over the last 20 years can you think of a single example of an Olympian fighting on a rival channel during his first contract? I can’t. I’m pretty sure Sky will have Clarke tied up in the same way that AJ wouldn’t have been able to fight on BT or anywhere else.

[ashall2]

Getting a bit embarrassing for Shalom and Boxxer, even Sky Sports posting it,

I fckn warned everyone about your constant berating of Adam Smith, I knew Sky would miss him, nearly everything Sky do these days is just a bit meh, I miss his growling, I always liked him and nearly everyone on here convinced me he was terrible and I eventually came around that way of thinking, well I hope everyone's proud of themselves

#ComeBackAdam

Agreed. Smith knows the game inside out and without him they don’t appear to have a clue what they’re doing.

[joshj909]

Embarrassing. Who would be next up for Wardley?

[handsofstone]

Could've all been easily avoided if Boxxer never asked the BBBC to make Clarke mandatory for Wardley's British, shambles, hopefully Simon Jordan will take his tongue out Shalom's arse long enough to ask for some answers

[maverick23]

Shame but I never expected it to go ahead.

Deep down I don’t think either promoter want it yet. My guess is Shalom pushed for him to be made mandatory expecting Wardley to vacate & fight for a world ranking belt but Hearn called his bluff as he knows there’s something in Clarke’s contract saying he has to fight on Sky.

If you think back over the last 20 years can you think of a single example of an Olympian fighting on a rival channel during his first contract? I can’t. I’m pretty sure Sky will have Clarke tied up in the same way that AJ wouldn’t have been able to fight on BT or anywhere else.

You don’t think either promoter want it yet? Eddie’s been going on about this fight for weeks and openly said he was going to be aggressive in the purse bids.

I can’t think of any Olympic boxer fighting on a rival show early in their careers but my understanding is that the fighters sign to Boxxer who then have a contract with Sky. Therefore Clarke isn’t obliged to solely box on Sky. There’s been loads of times when guys who are signed to a promoter fight on a rival channel following a deal or purse bids. This would have been no different.

When AJ got big I think he had separate deals with the broadcaster. Clarke’s a long way off that.

It’ll be forgotten about soon but I haven’t seen one positive comment about this on social. Everyone laying in to Boxxer. Feel a bit bad for Clarke as he seemingly wanted the fight.

[jameswilson]

It’s a piss take to David Adeleye and Sol Dacres who were the likely next in line. Had Boxxer just come out and said actually not yet. Maybe as the next mandatory then we could have had the purse bids for Wardley v Adeleye (obviously no bids needed for Dacres) done and dusted with today.

[mickey1975]

Clarke is very beatable. Hearn wanted it.

[gregregegg]

Im surprised a promoter can pull a fighter out of purse bids.

Its a fighter that earns a mandatory spot, and then promoters bid. IF sky didnt want to bid thats fine, the purse bid should still go ahead. if matchroom put in a bid thats big enough to entice frazer then he takes the fight, or a third party bid of coarse. .

Purse bids are amazing for settling things, you cant just have promoters sabotaging that concept.