Fabio Wardley (20-0-1, 19 KO) perfectly summarized how he secured victory over Joseph Parker (36-4, 24 KO) last Saturday. “perfect for this one moment” score a TKO in the 11th round at the O2 Arena in London.
(Source: Queensberry/Leigh Dawney)
After the fight, Wardley made it clear that he did not need to put together a “perfect” 12-round fight. All he needs is this one moment for a knockout, and he makes up for the rest of the rounds.
The One-Time King speaks
One-time King Wardley noted that he is “avoided the warrior” in the division and the reason for that is his punching power. And his willingness to walk through fire to win. This sets him apart from other heavyweights in the division who don’t want to deal with the pain of being pressured.
Avoided for some reason
“I’m a shunned heavyweight and I’m going up against any fighter in the world. I don’t have to be perfect for 12 rounds, I just need to be perfect for that one moment,” Wardley said.
Fabio’s victory over interim WBO heavyweight champion Parker established him as the mandatory challenger to undisputed champion Usyk. Wardley’s promoter, Frank Warren, said after the fight that Usyk would have to face him next.
If he fails to do so, he will be stripped of his WBO title and Wardley will become the modern champion. The WBO has already ordered Usyk to defend against a mandatory next fight. So that leaves him no choice.
Officials on the world stage
“Have you ever seen something like this? Fabio Wardley has no experience, he is a white collar fighter who will now fight for the undisputed title?” said promoter Frank Warren BoxNationrecalling Fabio Wardley’s victory over Joseph Parker.
It is sporadic for a fighter who has worked in the business sector to take up boxing in his 20s and reach the brink of a world title fight without any amateur experience.
“If you bought this fight, how can you not have fun? There’s always going to be someone who’s going to moan about it. If you don’t like it, don’t buy it. Nobody’s forcing you to buy it,” Warren said of fans who complained about the undercard for Parker vs. Wardley.
Fans divided over Undercard
Last Saturday, many boxing fans complained about the undercard. They felt there were no significant fights missing that would justify the pay-per-view price tag on DAZN. If Warren had included one good fight involving eminent fighters in the feature spot, fans wouldn’t have complained so much.
“Oleksandr, I have the utmost respect for you. Let’s hurry up and get this fight going. Everyone wants to see it,” Warren said of his message to Usyk about wanting to arrange another fight between him and Wardley.
Haney won titles in three weight classes and was undisputed at lightweight. Most recently he defeated Brian Norman Jr. for the WBO welterweight world title.
Both men have impressed in their recent wins and are widely considered two of the most technically elite fighters in the sport today. A fight between the two has been discussed for a long time, and The Ring’s Mike Coppinger reported that it could now become a reality if one key hurdle can be overcome – an agreed weight limit.
This problem is not effortless to solve and may prove too stern for negotiations to overcome. Haney said he felt best at welterweight and looked exhausted at super lightweight. Stevenson argues that his opponent faced Jose Ramirez at the 144-pound catchweight last year and could do the same again. While Haney handled the weight well and performed well on the night, there is no doubt he would have been at a disadvantage.
Stevenson, however, argued that he is still a natural lightweight – even though he looks comfortable against Lopez at 140 pounds – and that a meeting under the welterweight limit creates a more even playing field.
Time will tell whether this can be agreed behind the scenes. A significant amount could assist move things forward, but given their undefeated records, pound-for-pound status and position as the face of American boxing, both Stevenson and Haney will be cautious in making decisions.
David Benavidez doesn’t think size alone will decide his fight against Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez. Ahead of the cruiserweight title clash, Benavidez says the advantage will come down to speed, combinations and a style that he feels Ramirez hasn’t faced before.
Benavidez said Ramirez is a bigger man and is used to facing naturally bigger opponents in the cruiserweight division, but he doesn’t see it as a problem. He believes the slower pace typical of this weight will work to his advantage once the punches start falling.
Benavidez said Ramirez has never faced someone like him in an official fight. Although both have sparred in the past, Benavidez has made it clear that he sees a major difference between rounds in the gym and fighting him under the lights for twelve rounds.
“There are a lot of opportunities to hit him with a lot of combinations because he is slower,” Benavidez told Double3 Coverage. “My speed, my movement and my defense will be too much for him and I will surely overwhelm and drown him with pressure and volume.”
It’s compelling that he so casually disregards the size difference. While Zurdo Ramirez is a natural cruiserweight and holds the unified WBA/WBO titles, Benavidez is betting that speed and volume will be the universal equalizer.
Benavidez sounds like a man who thinks he’s found a flaw in the system. Moving up to cruiserweight, he believes his hand speed will be a blur compared to fighters in the 200-pound division. But here comes the fear of a massacre.
He already says this is “his era.” When a fighter begins to look beyond a unified champion like Ramirez toward a September coronation or a legacy-defining run, he usually leaves his chin exposed.
On the other hand, bookmakers do not predict a massacre, at least not in the case of Benavidez. There’s a reason he’s a -600 favorite. Most analysts believe he is just unique enough that his volume will break Zurdo’s rhythm before the size difference becomes a factor.
Dan Ambrose is a boxing journalist at Boxing News 24, respected for his direct analysis and extensive coverage of the global fight landscape. His reports focus on the most vital fights, division development and the most discussed stories in sports.
Shakur Stevenson has hit the brakes following reports that he is in preliminary talks to fight Devin Haney.
Both elite Americans have claims to pound-for-pound status, both boast undefeated records and are considered among the most defensively gifted operators of the contemporary era.
However, a weight class or two has always separated them, and Haney’s recent move to welterweight – a division Stevenson says he can get to but is in no rush – seemed to make that fight less likely.
To make that happen, Stevenson said he would like Haney to agree to a catchweight of 144 pounds, the same limit he reached when defeating Jose Ramirez in 2025.
Today, The Ring’s Mike Coppinger reported that discussions had already begun, but the weight was a sticking point, with Stevenson likely still insisting on the stipulation, but Haney was keen on staying at 147 pounds.
However, Stevenson has now responded to Coppinger’s claim by speaking further X that there was no contact between the teams.
“I know the fans like to get excited and can toy with you all and easily manipulate you, but this rumor is dead for the second time. I haven’t heard a word about it, [I don’t know] what are they? [trying to] hide or hide, but me and my team haven’t heard any nonsense.”
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