“The single time I’ve been hit the hardest is Dillian Whyte I think when he’s caught me with that quick check left hook a few times, and it catches you by surprise.”
Those are the words of British champion Fabio Wardley.
Wardley boasts an impressive sparring list, having been in the ring with most of the top 10 heavyweights in the division. That experience means he is well-placed to know who lands the hardest punch.
Who is the hardest puncher in the heavyweight division?
“To date, I’ve ticked most of them off now,” he told talkSPORT.
“I’ve done Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, Dillian Whyte, Oleksandr Usyk, Filip Hrgovic, Derek Chisora.
“All the big names and top 10 guys, I’ve ticked them all off, which is something I’m quite happy with, and I’m thankful to them for giving me that opportunity.”
Dillian Whyte takes the crown
Whyte is famous for his vicious left hook, a move which has downed some formidable opponents such as; Chisora, Lucas Browne, Alexander Povetkin and Joseph Parker.
The quotes from Wardley may come as a surprise to boxing fans with the power on offer in the heavyweight division, though, his reasoning is sound: “I’ve done more rounds with some than others. Like with Joshua I’ve only done maybe 10 rounds in total, whereas with Hrgovic I spent about a month in Miami with him training and when you spend more time with someone there’s more opportunity for them to land some sweeter shots.”
Wardley boasts considerable power himself, having won by KO in every fight except his debut when he won on points.
“My record goes to show that one way or the other I get my opponents out of there,” Wardley told talkSPORT.
“Maybe I’m not the hardest single punch fighter among the heavyweights, but I think I put my shots together well and all of them have power, speed, they’re sharp, so I think its more accumulative rather than a single devastating shot.”
Wardley’s next fight is on the horizon, featuring on the undercard of Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin on April 1st.
The British champion will face Michael Polite Coffie for the WBA Continental title at the O2 Arena in London. Should Wardley have his hand raised, his name will become bigger and bigger.
