Fabio Wardley has revealed the opponent he wants most for his first defense as the newly crowned WBO heavyweight champion and it’s none other than Oleksandr Usyk. Wardley was officially elevated from interim to full champion earlier this week after Usyk chose to vacate the belt, and now the unbeaten Ipswich fighter hopes the man who “gave him the belt,” in his words, will reconsider and face him next.
Usyk, who became the first two-time undisputed heavyweight champion since Muhammad Ali, has dominated the division in recent years. His decision to relinquish the WBO title opened the door for Wardley’s upgrade just weeks after Wardley’s dramatic 11th-round stoppage win over Joseph Parker to claim the interim strap.
Watch Parker vs. Wardley highlights.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Wardley admitted that Usyk was the opponent he and his team had been preparing for immediately after beating Parker. “If I could pick, I would pick Oleksandr Usyk,” he said. “That would be the fight that I would want… If he’s watching, if his team are watching, have a reconsider, maybe give me a call and we can work something out.”
Despite Wardley’s ambition, Usyk’s next move remains unclear. Some believe he may target Agit Kabayel, should the German get past Damian Knyba on January 10, while others expect him to focus on legacy fights outside the sanctioning body rotation. Meanwhile Wardley is also being linked to potential challengers such as Daniel Dubois, Filip Hrgovic and Derek Chisora.
Image Credit: Sky Sports