HOW DOES FABIO WARDLEY’S WBA NO. 1 RANKING AFFECT BOXING?

The WBA’s latest rankings, released late last year, put unbeaten heavyweight contender Fabio Wardley in the top spot. This comes after his first-round technical knockout victory against Fraser Clark in their rematch. The two first faced off in March, ending in a split-decision draw as Wardley defended his British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles.

Wardley has 18 wins and one draw in his professional career. The 30-year-old boxer, fighting out of Ipswich, Suffolk, is on a 14-fight winning streak. Martin Bakole in second and Michael Hunter in third are ranked just below him.

The rankings had some surprises, particularly in the WBC division. Tyson Fury, the “Gypsy King,” stayed at the top spot despite two recent losses. This raised questions about whether WBC rankings are affected by wins and losses. In the WBO rankings, Zhilei Zhang holds the number-one spot.

Fabio Wardley being the number-one contender means he’s first in line when the sanctioning body calls for a final eliminator. He’ll be matched with the next highest-ranked available contender. If both agree, the winner becomes the mandatory challenger for the titleholder. In this case, that’s Oleksandr Usyk, the undefeated champion. Usyk would then need to defend his belt within a set time or risk losing it.

Looking at this, Fabio Wardley could soon face Michael Hunter, who was ranked third. Martin Bakole ranked second, is focusing on the IBF route, as his manager mentioned last year. Wardley is a decent fighter but needs tougher opponents like Dillian Whyte or Derek Chisora, who bring more experience to the ring. Before thinking about those matchups, let’s consider who might be his opponent for the final eliminator.

WHO COULD FABIO WARDLEY FIGHT NEXT?

MICHAEL HUNTER

Michael Hunter II, also known as “The Bounty,” is currently on a two-fight winning streak. His recent victories were against Christian Larrondo and Cassius Chaney. The fight against Chaney earned him the vacant WBA Gold Heavyweight Title through a unanimous decision. The 36-year-old has a record of 24 wins, 1 loss, and 2 draws. Boxing runs in his family, as his father was also a professional fighter. For Hunter, boxing has mostly been about enjoyment since he developed an interest at a young age.

Is he a wasted talent? That’s up for debate. Some argue he talks more than he fights. Others point out that he’s had four fights in the last 15 months and has another scheduled for February. Back in 2018, he made a statement by defeating Martin Bakole in the tenth round to win the vacant IBO Inter-Continental Heavyweight Title. Hunter has solid technical skills, a good jab, fast hands, and fluid movement. He also has a strong chin. However, his career might be at risk of stagnation.

LENIER PERO

Lenier Pero, born in Camagüey, Cuba, is on an 11-fight winning streak. Eight of those wins came by knockout. He’s known for his powerful punches, often ending fights early. Notable first-round knockouts include victories over Joel Caudle, Guillermo Ruben Andino, and Donnie Palmer. In 2022, he claimed the vacant WBA Fedelatin Heavyweight Title by stopping Hector Perez in the third round. The big question is whether Pero has the technical skills to challenge Fabio Wardley.

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KUBRAT PULEV

Kubrat Pulev, the WBA Regular Champion, could be an interesting wild card and potential contender here. Known as “The Cobra,” Pulev recently won the vacant WBA International Heavyweight Title with a unanimous decision against Igor Shevadzutskiy. He followed that up by claiming the WBA Regular Heavyweight Title at the Winbet Fight Night main event. In December 2024, he defeated Mahmoud Charr in a 12-round unanimous decision to become champion.

At 43, Pulev has a professional record of 32 wins and 3 losses. A fight between Fabio Wardley and Pulev could be strategic. A win for Wardley would not only make him the mandatory contender but also give him Pulev’s title. Pulev’s losses have only come against big names like Wladimir Klitschko, Anthony Joshua, and Derek Chisora in their rematch.

CONCLUSION

If I had to pick an opponent for Wardley, Kubrat Pulev seems like the most logical option. The WBA Regular Heavyweight title, though, is more of a secondary belt. It’s often seen as a stepping stone to the main title, similar to interim belts in other organizations. Some fighters, like Tank Davis, have been known to cling to these belts to avoid facing top-level champions.

Pulev has been a solid contender, holding minor titles and competing at the world level. However, he’s 0-2 in major world title fights, and those losses were years ago. Now 43, it’s doubtful he’ll keep the WBA Regular belt long enough to challenge for unified titles.

As for Wardley being ranked number one, that’s debatable. Beating Adeleye and Clark is impressive, but it doesn’t fully justify the top spot. Still, it’s entertaining to see him in the mix with top contenders. He might lose against a strong opponent or a champion, but it won’t be a boring fight. Wardley needs to face fringe-level fighters and build his career steadily. British boxers are often overhyped, rushed into big fights, and then forced to rebuild after a tough loss. It’s time to break that cycle.