By Charles Brun: 2020 Olympian super heavyweight Frazer Clarke (7-0,5 KOs) labored to ten round points decision over 18-year pro Mariusz Wach (37-10, 20 KOs) last Friday night at York Hall in London. Referee Mark Bates scored it 100-90.
The crowd was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop, as it was obvious that they were not enthused by what they saw from the 31-year-old Clarke.
After the fight, Clarke remarked on how his dressing room seemed quiet, as if he had lost the fight.
It was surprising that the big 270-lb Clark could be so obtuse because it was clear that he’d looked poor throughout, bored the crowd, and showed no hints of the talent he would need to defeat guys like Fabio Wardley. Heck, Hughie Fury did a better job beating Wach than Clarke, and that’s saying a lot.
Indeed, had that been Wardly in the ring last Friday night, Clarke would have likely been on his back, counting stars, wondering what happened.
He was supposed to dominate the 43-year-old Wach, who came into the contest having lost three out of his four previous fights.
Instead of blasting Wach out, Clarke played it safe, throwing mainly jabs and almost no power punches. Despite his advanced age, the 6’7″ Wach, who still has a bit of pop in his punches, seemed to put the scare in Clarke in the first round when he belted him with a good right hand.
Whatever ambition Clarke left his body, and from there on, he threw jabs and didn’t take any chances of getting caught by another mighty right hand from the slow but still dangerous Wach.
In the later rounds, Clarke gassed out, and it seemed to take him greater effort to throw even jabs. Wach took advantage of his exhausted opponent to land some nice eye-catching shots.
Wach had been knocked out by these fighters in the past:
– Martin Bakole
– Arslanbek Makhmudov
– Alexander Povetkin
“It was hot in there. He had a couple of good moments. I don’t think I was ever in trouble, but ultimately, I think it was a really good night’s work, I really do,” said Frazer Clarke to Boxing King Media following his victory over former heavyweight world title challenger Mariusz Wach last Friday night in London.
“I don’t know why. I came into the changing [room], and there was a bit of sense with my team. I’ve stopped everyone so far. Everyone feels like I lost. Everyone was a bit quiet. Do you know what I mean?
“I know the game. I know what I need to improve, and there’s a lot of value that came out of tonight.
“Of course, I want the fight. There are no secrets about it,” said Clarke when asked if he wants to fight Fabio Wardley. “He’s a good fighter, but so am I. I ain’t going to do the back & fourth bull s**t and the calling out anymore. I learned my lesson, and I had to put my tail between my legs and shut my mouth.
“The offer has been made to him. If he wants to take the fight. If not, I’ll keep learning and keep progressing, but that’s a fight that I would love and the British public would love.
“We’d get well paid, and I think we’d do a good venue as well. We could do a good arena, and I think it would be a good fight. You never stop learning, do you? You never stop learning in this game.
“My age. If I was any other weight, I could understand [the criticism over his slow progression], but I’m a heavyweight. I’m probably a little bit of a slow developer over the years, but I definitely think I can learn. I definitely think I can improve,” said Clarke.
