Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol: undisputed light heavyweight championship – live | Boxing

Fabio Wardley beats Frazer Clarke by first round knockout!

Frazer Clarke has found his way into the ring for his British and Commonwealth heavyweight title fight with Fabio Wardley. It is a repeat of their exciting encounter from March, which ended in a draw. This one could steal the show.

Our Donald McRae spoke to Clarke in advance.

“I wanted to have breakfast with the British title in my lap – and it wasn't there. People don't understand my life and the sacrifices I make, the time I can't spend with my loved ones, with my children, whose first steps or words I missed because I was in a training camp. People never understand how hard it is to be a boxer.”

I show Clarke a photo of the screen after his fight with Wardley. It looks like a Jackson Pollock painting with blood sprayed and splattered across the canvas instead of paint. “I saw this photo,” he says, “and it definitely tells a story and shows the reality of our sport.”

“I love boxing but it is dangerous and I have a wonderful family that comes first. This photo is a little reminder that you don't want it to be your blood. But I’m human and I don’t want to cause permanent harm to anyone.”

Wardley admitted that such fights can shorten a boxer's career by years. “In some cases, definitely,” Clarke agrees. “You want an exciting fight, but you never want one like this.”

Then Clarke grins helplessly. “But we’re fighters and that’s why I enjoyed it in a strange way. Then when you look back you think, ‘Damn!’ A lot of people ask, ‘How do you do that?’ The honest answer is, I don’t know.”

When the draw was announced, Clarke looked more disappointed than Wardley. “I knew it would be close, but a draw was devastating. Nevertheless, Fabio and I exchanged a few respectful words in the locker room. I thanked him because he brought out the best in me.

“It was a really emotional evening, but there was a beautiful moment when I walked into the bar at the Intercontinental in the O₂to a standing ovation from 300 people. Everyone wanted to buy me a drink. People chanted my name. Fabio comes in two minutes later and there is silence. That spoke volumes.”

His Excellency Turki Alalshikh took the stage to give away a Mercedes G-Wagon. He presses a big red button and the cameras finally focus on a woman in a hijab sitting in the north stand. Kool & The Gang's Celebration blares from the arena's sound system as she makes her way to the floor to collect the keys. It definitely beats the T-shirt cannon!

Jai Opetaia has just stopped Britain's Jack Massey after Masse's corner threw in the towel in the sixth round. The 29-year-old Sydneysider has successfully defended his IBF cruiserweight title and only one undercard fight remains: Frazer Clarke and Fabio Wardley for the British and Commonwealth heavyweight title. Afterwards Beterbiev and Bivol will perform.

preamble

Bryan will be here shortly. In the meantime, here's a look at Friday's weigh-ins, where Beterbiev (174.9 pounds) and Bivol (174.12 pounds) both came in just under the division limit.