British heavyweight Frazer Clarke, 33, is set to undergo surgery to repair serious injuries sustained during his rematch with Fabio Wardley in Saudi Arabia last night. The bout ended in a devastating first-round knockout, leaving Clarke with a suspected fractured jaw and cheekbone.

Wardley delivered a powerful blow that struck Clarke’s jaw, seemingly displacing it, while also leaving a visible dent on the side of his head. As soon as the fight was called off by the referee, medics rushed to tend to Clarke inside the ring, and he was immediately taken to the hospital for further examination.

Promoter Frank Warren later confirmed Clarke had likely suffered a fractured cheekbone, explaining the injury to his head. It has since been announced that Clarke will require surgery to repair the damage to his face.

Despite the unfortunate outcome for Clarke, Fabio Wardley was thrilled with his performance, especially after their previous fight in April ended in a draw. Reflecting on his victory, Wardley said, “Once I hurt someone, I know I can finish them off. I had some issues in the first fight, but I corrected them, came in with a game plan, and executed it.”

Wardley’s dominant win now has him eyeing bigger opportunities. “I want belts and titles next. These domestic ones are great, but I’m aiming for the ones that say ‘world’ on them,” he added.

The night also saw another British boxer, Ben Whittaker, sent to the hospital after a dramatic fall out of the ring during his fight against Liam Cameron. Whittaker, injured after falling and hurting his right leg, was taken away in a wheelchair, leading to the fight being stopped prematurely.

The fight, which ended in a technical draw, had the judges split: 58-57 for Whittaker, 58-57 for Cameron, and 58-58. Cameron, however, felt he had done enough to win. “He [Whittaker] had nothing left by round two. I beat him, no doubt. I don’t get the fair share in fights, but I believe I deserved the win tonight.”

Despite the chaos, Whittaker managed to avoid what could have been a serious upset, while Clarke now faces a recovery process after his brutal defeat in Riyadh.