British boxer Fabio Wardley’s rise to the WBO heavyweight championship started on the football pitch, not in the ring. The Ipswich-born fighter, once part of Ipswich Town’s academy, later entered the world of white-collar boxing before forging a professional career. Now a world champion, Wardley will make his first title defense against Daniel Dubois this Saturday in Manchester. He shared with BBC Sport how his unexpected transition from football to boxing shaped his path to the top.
