Speaking to iFL TV, Frank Warren named Fabio Wardley as his boxer of the year, grounding the choice in progression rather than promotion. Warren’s words were precise, not inflated. “No amateur experience and he’s world champion and on a bona fide basis,” he said. In a heavyweight division cluttered with alphabet shortcuts, that phrasing mattered.
Wardley’s 2025 arc closed with a recognised belt and a win over a Joseph Parker, ranked directly beneath Oleksandr Usyk. He entered that fight as the betting outsider. From three feet off the apron, the detail was in his restraint. The jab was short and repeatable, not thrown to impress, used instead to manage distance and keep his feet set beneath him. When pressure arrived early, he did not widen his stance or chase counters. He absorbed, reset, and kept his balance.
“He beat a guy who is number two to Usyk and was a big favourite going into that fight, so I think he had a tremendous year,” Warren said.
Technical growth under live fire
Wardley’s lack of amateur pedigree still shows in places. His foot placement stays narrow and his exits can square if rushed. What has changed is his proprioception under stress. Against the Usyk-ranked opponent, his high-guard efficiency tightened after the middle rounds, forearms angled inward, elbows pinched, reducing clean lanes upstairs. The body work landed with a dull thud, thrown without over-commitment, allowing him to stay close enough to cut off the ring.
That development carried into the Justis Huni fight, which tested different mechanics. Huni’s quicker lead hand and lateral movement forced Wardley to adjust his pursuit. He shortened his steps, leveraged the lead shoulder on entry, and began timing a check-left hook once Huni’s rhythm slowed. Those adjustments did not come between camps. They arrived between rounds. That matters.
Context, belts, and realistic scrutiny
Warren’s praise deserves scrutiny because of his history with heavyweight titles. He has seen belts move faster than fighters mature. Wardley’s case reads cleaner. The opponents were ranked. The fights were competitive. The outcomes were settled in the ring, not in a boardroom. Warren called the year “a tremendous” one and tipped his hat to the journey. The restraint in tone matched the evidence.
Warren now opens the year in Manchester with his “Magnificent 7” card, headlined by Moses Itauma against Jermaine Franklin, marking his 45th year as a licensed promoter.
Click here to subscribe to our FREE newsletter
Related Boxing News:
Last Updated on 01/03/2026
https://www.boxingnews24.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/wardley-parker-result00017-Boxing-Photos.jpg
2026-01-03 13:35:48