Heavyweight champion reveals odd error made by sanctioning body.
Fabio Wardley is perhaps modern boxing’s most unlikely champion. Having had no amateur fights, the Ipswich heavyweight has been at an experience disadvantage against practically everyone he’s fought.
This is in addition to struggles he had in the ring against certain opponents that made many believe he had found his ceiling. His first fight with Frazer Clarke was a slobberknocker of the highest order, but Wardley appeared the man of lesser technical ability throughout it.
The same was true against Justis Huni, who was taking Wardley to school for almost the entirety of the fight and seemingly even bothering him with some of the shots he landed.
But you will notice that Wardley’s record is 20-0-1 with 19 KOs. That’s because he ultimately found a way to win against both Clarke and Huni, each in devastating fashion.
He did the same against Joseph Parker, who he was down on the cards against. And with this win, Wardley would be upgraded to full WBO heavyweight champion.
Undoubtedly a terrific story no matter what direction Wardley’s career goes from here. However, a strange detail has emerged regarding Wardley initially being rewarded his world title.
Wardley revealed in an interview with BoxingScene that the first belt he received from the WBO featured his name and a nickname that read “The White Rhino”.
That would be the nickname of Dave Allen, an entirely separate heavyweight.
“Michael [Ofo], my manager, brought [the belt] to the gym where I was”, said Wardley. “Hadn’t opened it because obviously, he wanted me to open it. I opened it, look at it. Nice, shiny, cool.”
Wardley went on, “And then it’s obviously got the medallions either side. For some reason, one says the date I won it, but the other one says ‘Fabio Wardley, ‘The White Rhino”. And I was like, ‘What the f### is going on here, then?'”
What makes the situation even more baffling is that Wardley doesn’t even have an in-ring nickname, let alone one related to rhinos.
Nonetheless, the WBO apologised and sent him a replacement, which is the one both he and Daniel Dubois will be fighting for on the 9th of May.
WARDLEY GIVEN WRONG BELT🏆
When Fabio Wardley received his heavyweight title from the WBO there was a mistake…🤦‍♂️
The belt had “The White Rhino” written on it, the nickname of Dave Allen!🦏 pic.twitter.com/s3rgMJFUVQ
— BoxingScene.com (@boxingscene) February 26, 2026
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