Town-supporting heavyweight boxer Fabio Wardley stopped the vastly more experienced Joseph Parker in the 11th round of a rip-roaring fight at the O2 Arena last night to claim the WBO interim heavyweight title.

Ipswich-born Wardley held his own throughout with both boxers withstanding huge punches but was behind on the cards.

However, he forced referee Howard Foster to stop the fight in the 11th round having rocked the 33-year-old New Zealander, who held the WBO heavyweight title from 2016 to 2018, with a big right hand, having followed that up with further punches.

The extent of the 30-year-old’s endeavours to claim victory were illustrated by him crashing to the canvas once the referee had indicated the fight was over.

The win - his 20th in 21 fights, 19 knockouts and one draw - is by far the biggest of Wardley’s career and now sets him up to face undisputed world champion Oleksandr Usyk.

“I have one thing to say - UUUUUSYK! UUUUSYK!” Wardley told DAZN afterwards, already focusing on that prospect.

“I said all the way through this build-up that we picked Joseph Parker because I believe I’m at the top and I proved I’m at the top.

“All credit to Joseph Parker, he can’t get enough respect from me and he deserves all the respect from the boxing community.

“He took a chance when he didn’t have to, and we knew he wasn’t going anywhere quickly. We had to pick our spots and eventually we got them out of there.”

Wardley, who was wearing Town badges on his gloves and shorts which also had ITFC emblazoned across them, has made a remarkable rise up the heavyweight ranks having turned professional only eight years ago after starting white collar boxing while working as a recruitment consultant.

“For what I lack in experience, I make up for in chin, heart and determination,” the Chantry-raised fighter added. “I told everyone I wasn't losing today and that belt will be mine. I did everything I said I would do.

“It hasn't sunk in yet. Everyone talks about my journey, but it’s about the men who stood there in the white tees that say ‘Fabio Wardley’ and all the people who have supported and believed in me when everyone said I was out.

“Aside from that, It’s down to [his manager] Dillian White. I would still be lost in small halls, fighting at York Hall every few months, [people] not hearing of me. He picked me out of the rough and changed my life. He deserves everything from me.”

Despite taking a number of big punches and looking unsteady at times, Wardley, who often sits next to Town CEO and chairman Mark Ashton at home matches, insisted he was never in trouble.

“Not to take anything away from Joe but I wasn't hurt, I was just sloppy,” he said. “I got caught in silly positions but I was never hurt. I am not the most clean, but I get the job done.

“I thought the referee should have stopped it five or six punches before, but I’m not here to cry about it. I only keep going. If the ball hasn't been rang, I'm still throwing punches.”

Turning back to Usyk, he later added: “Tell Usyk to turn up. Give him the directions to Ipswich. I’ll give him my postcode, he can come find me in the garden, I don’t care. As long as he is there, bring his belts, let'’ get this on!”

Wardley’s promoter Frank Warren added: “He said [he wants Usyk] so that’s what it will be. He is so right with what he says - it is a 36-minute fight, but it only takes one second for him and he does it time and time again.

“I sit there in amazement for someone who had zero amateur experience, 20 fights, fighting a former world champion. Ipswich should be proud of him.

“That was a phenomenal performance, edge of your seat stuff. Both gave everything they had. It is a story I have never seen in boxing before.”

He continued: “It’s really simple. Oleksandr is a great champion, his next fight will be against Fabio Wardley for the four belts. It’s what he deserves for that performance.”

Photo: Action Images via Reuters