Heavyweight Fabio Wardley has said he will be ready to throw his hat in the ring to fight “the biggest carrot” in the division — Oleksandr Usyk — should he get past Joseph Parker on Saturday.
With both the WBO and WBA interim titles on the line at London’s O2 Arena, Wardley (19-0-1, 18 KOs) and Parker (36-3, 24 KOs) could also be vying for chance to fight Usyk next year.
While Wardley is less experienced than his opponent, the unbeaten Brit possesses devastating power, which he showed with knockout wins over Justis Huni and Frazer Clarke in his last two fights.
Asked about the prospect of taking on Usyk should he beat Parker, Warldey told media: “It’s the biggest carrot in the game for a multitude of reasons.
“Not just because it’s a world title shot, it would be an undisputed shot, and it’s against Usyk who is a generational talent. There are multiple layers as to why it’s such a great opportunity.”
While Wardley ultimately dispatched Huni, he was being out-boxed and down on the cards at the time of the stoppage and knows the more experienced Parker presents a different challenge.
“We have to have plan A, B and C because Parker doesn’t just have one skill set,” Wardley said.
“He’s not just fast or quick with his hands or powerful, he has a bunch across the board so we’re having to cover a lot of bases.
“Previous experiences against different opponents have helped me with that because I’m able to piece in bits I’ve already learned — not the whole game plan — but little sections that match with Parker’s skillset as well.”