Fabio Wardley has dismissed the possibility of facing fellow prospect and lemate Moses Itauma, insisting that their shared trainer and gym make a fight between them “an impossibility” for now, regardless of any mandatory challenger ruling from the World Boxing Organization.
Wardley, who currently holds the WBO heavyweight title, is preparing to defend his belt against Daniel Dubois this summer. Despite growing speculation that Itauma could soon be named mandatory challenger after his recent stoppage win over Jermaine Franklin, Wardley says his stance has not ced.
He explained that both fighters train under the same coach, Ben Davison, and share the same gym environment, making a clash between them highly impractical at this stage of their careers.
Wardley stated that while he respects Itauma’s rise, his focus remains on bigger heavyweight names such as Oleksandr Usyk, Tyson Fury, and Anthony Joshua.
The WBO’s championship committee, led by Gustavo Olivieri, has indicated that Itauma could soon be officially designated as mandatory challenger, though no timeline has been confirmed for enforcement.
The decision could potentially come after Wardley’s upcoming title defense against Dubois or in the period following it.
Itauma has also commented on the situation, suggesting he would be willing to fight Wardley if circumstances allow, but acknowledged that their shared training setup under Queensberry Boxing and promoter Frank Warren could complicate negotiations.
The rising British Nigerian prospect is preparing for a headline bout at the O2 Arena on July 25, with his next opponent yet to be announced. His promoter has described the upcoming fight as a major step up, reflecting the rapid rise of a fighter already highly ranked by both the WBO and the WBA.
Itauma’s recent knockout victory over Jermaine Franklin drew significant attention across the heavyweight division, especially given that previous opponents such as Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte were unable to stop the American fighter.
Wardley’s firm stance suggests that any potential matchup between the two British heavyweights remains a long term possibility rather than an immediate showdown.
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