Heavyweight rematch ends in first round as Fabio Wardley knocks out Frazer Clarke; Watch…

Fabio Wardley knocked out Frazer Clarke in the first round to retain the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles.

It was a stunning finish. An explosive right over the top shook up Clarke and Wardley smashed him down into the ropes.

He was badly stunned and even with little time left in the round, the referee had to wave it off after just 2:28.

How to book repeats and ways to watchSky Subscribers: Book repeats nowNon Sky subscribers: Book repeats nowOnly in March, Wardley and Clarke had fought to a tremendous draw for the former’s British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles.

Neither could stomach leaving that business unfinished and so, determined to get the better of one another, their rematch became inevitable.

The first fight might have gone 12 enthralling rounds. The second was over in a matter of minutes.

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A look at the reaction of the Sky Sports Boxing studio as Fabio Wardley emphatically stops Frazer Clarke inside one round.

Clarke appeared to savour his ringwalk and the moment when he made his entrance at the Kingdom Arena.

Wardley was just as composed though and moved out to the centre of the ring at the opening bell, feinting and looking for his opponent’s reaction.

Clarke though stuck to his boxing and initially enjoyed success. His jab was firm and when Wardley stepped into an arrow-straight left, his eyes blinked shut for a moment. He seemed to feel the shot.

The big man from Burton caught the champion with a left hook as he retreated.

But when Wardley exploded into action it was utterly devastating. A right hook hit Clarke hard, severely shaking him up.

At once Wardley attacked the body with thumping shots as Clarke flung his left out to keep the champion off.

He was looking for a way to work out of danger, as he had managed to do so in the first fight.

But now Wardley was clinical. A right hook tipped Clarke into the ropes. He tried to regroup and Wardley smashed in another right hook with devastating force.

Clarke crumpled down on to the ropes, only an arm accidently hooked over a strand held him up. He was hurt terribly. The fight had to end there and then.

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Watch the Sky Sports commentators react live to Fabio Wardley’s incredible first round knockout win

“I said I always know once I hurt somebody I can get rid of them,” Wardley said afterwards. “I made errors in the first fight, I went into the first fight with my team saying maybe it wasn’t the right time, went in with a couple of issues, got them fixed up, got the gameplan right and executed on the night.

“Sometimes war is needed, sometimes a little bit of brain is needed, I took enough assessment from the first fight to know I just had to be a little bit sweeter, disguise them a little bit better.

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.Fabio Wardley says he was glad to get the job done in more emphatic fashion in his rematch against Frazer Clarke.

“War by name, war by nature.

“Once I have enemies hurt, there’s no help for them… Nothing will save them.”

Repeats of Fabio Wardley’s huge rematch with Frazer Clarke on the epic Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol bill are on Sky Sports Box Office at 8am and 6pm on Sunday. Book repeats of Wardley vs Clarke 2 and Beterbiev vs Bivol now!