British heavyweight Frazer Clarke says he has nothing to prove when faces veteran Mariusz Wach on Friday night but believes he is stronger for coming through his recent “saga” with Fabio Wardley.
Clarke saw his hopes of a domestic title fight with rival Wardley thwarted ahead of purse bids last month.
His own team of 258 Management and promotion Boxxer made the decision to withdraw Clarke before purse bids with the 31-year-old’s lack of rounds cited as a key reason.
It means instead of taking on Wardley this summer, the focus for Clarke is a 10-rounder with Wach at York Hall, but he is ready to shut out the external talk to deliver the seventh win of his professional career.
Clarke told the PA news agency: “It has made me battle hardened. I have come good out of it. I have come good out of all these situations.
“All these situations I have been in with boxing, I have always come back and done well. That will be the same for this one.
“I ain’t got nothing to prove to no one. I just need to win and I’m sure I’ll do that.”
Clarke (6-0, 5 knockouts) is hopeful a bout with Wardley will take place later in 2023 despite the social-media storm that occurred last month.
After Clarke’s team pulled him out, having initially lobbied the British Boxing Board of Control (BBCofC) for their fighter to become mandatory for Wardley’s British title, the Tokyo 2020 bronze-medalist felt the brunt of the criticism that followed.
When asked if a fight with Wardley can still go ahead this year, Clarke replied: “I would hope so. That whole saga, it was frustrating and a difficult 10 days for me. I can’t lie, it was difficult.
“Mentally it was really difficult, but I have come through the other side of it. I have come through with a fight lined up, something to get my teeth into and concentrate on so very fortunate to be able to do that.
“It wasn’t nice, wasn’t pretty. A bit of a f***-up from our side, me and my team, so we have held our hands up and now get back on the bus.”
Polish heavyweight Wach (37-9, 20 KOs) is the latest hurdle for Clarke to clear on his path to reach the top. Wach went the distance with Wladimir Klitschko in 2012 and only lost on points to Dillian Whyte four years ago to show the type of pedigree that Clarke will do battle with this week.
He added: “He has seen bigger and better fighters than me. This is someone who isn’t going to fall over. I don’t think he has come here just to get paid.
“Obviously he has [gotten paid] but I don’t think he has come to fall over. These kind of opponents, they are not a walkover. I don’t want anyone to think I will walk through him.
“He is a good fighter, a solid man and has a good engine and chin on him, so he can pose threats, but [I’m] looking forward to it.”
