There were chaotic scenes at lunchtime’s first press conference to promote the Fabio Wardley-Jarrell Miller fight at Portman Road in June 7th with the American slapping the Ipswich-born, Town-supporting boxer as tempers flared.
The fight, for the interim WBA World Heavyweight Championship, was announced on Saturday with the pair at the ground this morning to go face-to-face at a press conference where security was forced to step in to separate them, but not before Miller, 36, nicknamed Big Baby, had slapped Chantry-born Wardley, 30, in the face.
Miller, from Brooklyn, New York, but wearing a Norwich City shirt, claimed to be irked by what he said was a diss track Wardley had put out in which he had said he would be a "Big Baby Killer”.
"Where I come from, that’s a death threat,” a furious Miller said, however, Wardley, the Commonwealth, WBO European and WBA International heavyweight champion, denied any knowledge of the track and appeared mystified by the accusation.
Looking ahead to the actual fight, Chantry-born Wardley, who started his career in white collar boxing, said: "It’s my hometown, born and bred, Ipswich boy, nothing’s being taken from me here. This ground is hallowed turf. This is where I’m strongest.”
https://x.com/ringmagazine/status/1909220824940269674
Adding that the venue would give him "more fire, determination and output”, Wardley, who has long held the ambition of staging a hometown fight at the stadium, continued: "I become undeniable when you put me on that pitch.
"Ultimately, we’re here to fight. I’m not afraid of no man. I took him on for a reason. He said he’s avoided, no one wants to fight him, he took the [Daniel] Dubois fight [which Miller lost in December 2023] on short notice. Fair play. And you put on a half decent performance.
"I picked you. I’ve given you full notice, full camp, full time. Come prepared, come ready, because there’s no allowances, there’s no excuses. I’m giving you everything you say people don’t give you.
"You say people don’t give you the opportunity, here’s your opportunity. You say people don’t give you the camp, the time to prepare, you’ve got all that as well. Even just to sweeten the deal, I’ll throw in an interim belt in there for you as well. You’ve got everything you need.”
Miller, whose Norwich shirt bore the legend Going Down 25 on the back, hit back: "There’s a reason I was avoided for many years. I had one slip up with Dubois, I had three weeks’ notice for that.
"But, like I said before, I’m a killer. No matter where I go. Real warriors travel everywhere. I’ve been in people’s backyards before whoopin’ ass… I’m a f*** you up. Plain and simple.
"I don’t mind doing the gimmicks and the fun stuff, but I don’t play. I don’t play the sport. This is what I do. I was bred for this shit. He’s never been in the ring with someone like me.”
He added: "Let’s get something straight, he’s not giving me the opportunity, I’m giving him the opportunity. Outside of Ipswich and England, nobody knows who the hell Fabio Wardley is. They know who Big Baby is.”
Tickets to the event went on sale earlier this afternoon here.
https://x.com/Queensberry/status/1909233703357653336