British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley has employed mind games following a recent broadcast of the popular Sky Sports program “The Gloves Are Off.”

Wardley (17-0, 16 KOs) will return to the ring on Saturday at London’s O2 Arena against 2020 Olympic bronze medalist Frazer Clarke (8-0, 6 KOs).

Wardley and Clarke share an interesting rivalry. The pair had been ordered to face each other last year to contest the vacant British heavyweight title. However, promoter Ben Shalom and Clarke’s then-management 258 withdrew Clarke from the purse bids. 

The heavyweight prospects have contrasting backgrounds.

Wardley initially learned his craft on the white-collar circuit, boxing against opposition of varying quality and durability. 

Clarke, meanwhile, holds an Olympic medal and has experience boxing around the world against the best heavyweights in the amateur ranks. The same platform has seen Clarke’s compatriot and amateur teammate Anthony Joshua become a two-time unified world champion and transform into one of the major financial powerhouses in sport.

Speaking on “The Gloves Are Off,” Wardley teased Clarke by saying, “I am expected to lose. The former white-collar fighter is expected to lose to the Olympic bronze medalist.”

Clarke insisted his past accolades are, indeed, now in the past. He attempted to flip the argument on Wardley, saying he had only boxed eight times as a pro himself, and that he looked laborious in his last two outings.

“According to you, I have fought nobody,” Wardley said, as Clarke stated that neither of them had fought anyone of note with respect to their resumes.

“Let’s say we are both 0-0 as pros and fought nobody,” Wardley said. “Based on your pedigree, you should be the one to beat me.

“If you have said I haven’t beat anyone in the pros, along with my four white-collar fights against blokes who were from the pub, while you have been around the world with the ABA [Amateur Boxing Association] – you have boxed all over, done this and that, won a bronze medal – you should beat me.” 

“I will beat you,” Clarke replied.

Wardley, with the final word, said, “Everything will crumble behind you.”