Frazer Clarke: ‘People never understand how hard it is to be a boxer – it’s dangerous’

The fighter on how his life and sport have taken him to dark places as he prepares for his rematch with Fabio Wardley

“I’d been in an absolute battle, and the adrenaline was still pumping,” Frazer Clarke says as he remembers the harrowing aftermath of his fight against Fabio Wardley in March. Their British and Commonwealth heavyweight title bout was a ferocious and gripping contest that ended in a draw and the rematch will take place in Riyadh on Saturday night. Clarke had been knocked down heavily in the fifth round but the canvas was splattered mostly with the blood of Wardley, who also went through hell.

Before he considers the prospect of returning to a dark place in the ring with Wardley, Clarke talks in riveting detail about the consequences of that first bout at London’s 02 Arena. “My girlfriend, Danni, had gone to bed because she was emotionally drained. She was in bits. So I went up to her and this is what people don’t see. I’m in our room and I’m really hot, really overheating. I’m getting as much water down as I can but my missus says: ‘You need to get some sleep.’ I say: ‘I’m scared.’ She asks why and I say: ‘I don’t want to close my eyes because I don’t know if I’ll be able to open them again.’”

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