Commentator Ade Oledipo says he believes that Fabio Wardley provides “more value for money” than anyone in the heavyweight division right now. Wardley’s all-action, high-volume offense makes him must-watch TV for anyone. Ade says Wardley is a “superstar” already.
In the recent 11th round come-from-behind knockout of WBO interim champion Joseph Parker on October 25th, he showed a great chin and willingness to stand in the trenches and battle.
Box Office Brutality
Fabio’s style of fighting differs from that of the unbeaten #1 WBA and #1 WBO Moses Itauma in that he throws more punches and stays in there, willing to take shots. Itauma is a potshot fighter who retreats the way smaller fighters like Shakur Stevenson do when pressured. It’s not as entertaining to watch as Wardley.
Fabio’s victory over Parker (36-4-, 24 KOs) makes him the mandatory challenger to WBO heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk. It’s still unclear if Usyk will choose to fight Wardley or vacate his WBO title. He would still hold three other belts, so it wouldn’t be entirely bad for Usyk if he decided to go in a different direction.
“We need to get behind Fabio Wardley. That boy is a superstar, he really is,” said Ade Oladipo to talkSport Boxing. “His story is incredible. He has everything. He’s got the look. He speaks so well. Is there a boxer now that gives you more value for money when you buy a ticket than Fabio Wardley?”
It would be in Queensberry’s best interest not to match Wardley and Itauma against each other anytime soon. They need to build those two heavyweights separately to transform them both into stars before they eventually pit them against each other. That’s if they keep winning.
Charisma That Connects
Wardley is a lot more well-spoken and personable than Itauma. There’s a huge difference in charisma between them. Itauma isn’t a great interviewer due to his slow manner of speaking and his expressionless face. Doesn’t show emotion.
“No, I don’t,” said Gareth A. Davies about Wardley giving more value for money than anyone. “He’s very articulate. He’s the kind of guy that could appeal in the mainstream with the British public. Yes, he does entertain.”
It will be interesting to see if Usyk chooses to defend against Wardley or take a different path, such as a fight with Anthony Joshua or perhaps Tyson Fury, if he comes out of retirement to face him in a trilogy.
Usyk’s Next Headache
“He’s not sitting on the cusp of either if Oleksandr Usyk doesn’t fight of having the WBO belt in his retention in his own home,” said Gareth. “If Oleksandr Usyk does fight him, it’s an incredible story of a kid that come from nowhere. He’s gone to the top of the sport.”
Usyk is 38 now, and it would be a tough fight for him to face Wardley because he couldn’t count on him to fall apart quickly like Daniel Dubois did in their rematch on July 19, 2025. Usyk knocked out Dubois in five rounds.
“#3 behind Usyk and Tyson Fury,” said Gareth when asked where he ranked Wardley in the heavyweight division. “Yes, because of Kabayel’s inactivity. He’s a rare specimen. He’s got a chin.”