Fabio Wardley, the newly crowned WBO heavyweight champion, has ruled out one potential challenger as he prepares for his first title defense. The 31-year-old Ipswich native has surged from a domestic contender to a world champion in impressive fashion, following two career-defining victories in 2025.
In June, Wardley achieved a long-held ambition by headlining at Portman Road against Justis Huni. Despite being on the brink of defeat, Wardley delivered a dramatic knockout with a right hand, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
This was just the beginning of Wardley's rise. In October, he captured the WBO interim belt, stopping former heavyweight champion Joseph Parker in the 11th round with his signature power. The final piece of the puzzle fell into place when undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk vacated the WBO title, elevating Wardley to the status of full world champion.
However, when it comes to potential challengers, Wardley has a unique perspective. He has ruled out a bout with the fast-rising prospect Moses Itauma, who currently holds the top spot in the WBO rankings and is also ranked number one by the WBA. Despite their shared training facility under Ben Davison in Harlow, Wardley sees a match-up with Itauma as an impossibility at the moment.
"Right now, we see each other as stablemates and training partners," Wardley explained to The Ring. "With us being in the same gym next door to each other, it's just not feasible."
Both fighters train under Ben Davison, making a bout between them highly unlikely unless one were to leave the gym and seek a new training setup. For now, Itauma's focus is on recovery after his January 24 bout with Jermaine Franklin was postponed due to injury. Wardley, meanwhile, awaits confirmation of his first title defense, with veteran former challenger Derek Chisora being mentioned as a potential opponent.
