2025-10-29 12:01:15

Fabio Wardley would “happily” fight Joseph Parker again.

The Barista, 30, defeated Lupesoliai La’auliolemalietoa, 33, last Saturday (25.10.25) via technical knockout, and while this victory has made him the mandatory challenger to Oleksandr Usyk’s, 38, WBO heavyweight belt, Wardley is open to facing Parker once more.

Speaking with Ariel Helwani, he said: “I’d happily welcome the rematch. It was a fantastic fight, it was a great fight.

“The controversy over the stoppage aside. No one came away from that fight saying it was boring or that it wasn’t intriguing. It had ebbs and flows all the way through. It had everything in that sense.” 

The controversy came when the judge handed Wardley the win after Parker was hit by a flurry of punches, though Lupesoliai La’auliolemalietoa insisted he was still able to continue.

Even so, The Barista is focused on hopefully facing Usyk first.

He said: “We’ll see how this Usyk thing plays out. We’ll see how that all goes, but I’d be happy to rematch [Parker].”

According to Wardley’s Queensbury promoter Frank Warren, Usyk’s team are not “over excited” about The Cat defending his WBO title against The Barista.

Warren told talkSPORT Usyk’s manager Egis Kilmas was “not over excited with all due respect at the prospect of fighting Fabio”.

Even so, the Queensbury promoter noted Usyk would have to give up his WBO title if he chooses not to fight Wardley.

Warren said: “The WBO had ordered that. So, it’s up to him. He either fights him or relinquishes the belt, or he gets stripped.

“I hope he doesn’t do that because I feel this fight would fill Wembley [Stadium] up. We had a good turnout on Saturday [for Parker vs. Wardley]. This is now a fight.”

Warren added Wardley “deserves his shot at Usyk”.

The promoter said of The Barista: “He has the power. He’s shown that in 19 of 20 fights. He comes from behind and does it.”

As for where and when the potential fight might take place, Warren said they were looking at either London or Riyadh for March 2026.

He said: “The fight [between Usyk and Wardley] has been ordered, so there will be a period of negotiations now.

“And if we can’t reach an agreement, then it will go out for purse bids. I believe we will reach an agreement.

“The fight won’t be until next year, of course. I think it will be sometime in March.”

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