Saturday night in Riyadh set the stage for the much-anticipated showdown between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol, but the evening was already filled with excitement and drama well before the main event.
Among the notable moments was media star Ben Whittaker’s unfortunate injury during a bout against Liam Cameron, which ended dramatically when both fighters fell out of the ring.
In another electrifying matchup, British heavyweight Fabio Wardley delivered a potential knockout of the year when he faced off against Frazer Clarke in their rematch.
Their first encounter had ended in a draw, leading fans to expect a closely fought battle. However, few could have predicted the swift and decisive outcome of their second fight.
Wardley approached the match with aggressive intent, surprising Clarke, the 2020 Olympic bronze medalist, with his relentless pressure. Although Clarke attempted to respond, he quickly found himself overwhelmed. Just two minutes and 28 seconds into the first round, a powerful right hook from Wardley forced the referee to intervene and stop the fight.
What is the extent of Clarke’s injury?
While Clarke managed to get back on his feet following the knockout, the referee deemed him unable to continue. Medical evaluations later confirmed that Clarke had suffered a fractured upper jaw, requiring immediate surgery.
Neil Scott, the medical director of the British Boxing Board of Control, provided insights on the severity of Clarke’s injury during a discussion on Sky Sports.
“Injuries like Clarke’s are rare in boxing and extremely painful,” Scott noted to Sky Sports.
Scott explained that the visible effects of the injury, characterized by a noticeable dent in the side of Clarke’s face, occur when the cheekbone collapses under force.
“If the bone sinks in too far, it can prevent you from opening and closing your mouth. It must be extremely painful and quite distressing,” he continued.
As a maxillofacial surgeon, Scott highlighted that such injuries are typically caused by blunt objects like bricks, rather than boxing gloves, emphasizing the immense strength required to inflict such damage.
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