Face Off: Fabio Wardley and David Adeleye say ‘no respect’ ahead of heavyweight showdown in Saudi Arabia

One thing Fabio Wardley and David Adeleye have agreed on is that there is little to no respect between them as they prepare for their highly-anticipated showdown in Saudi Arabia.

Wardley will defend his British heavyweight title in the chief support bout ahead of Tyson Fury’s fight against former UFC champion Francis Ngannou.

Speaking about how the melee came about at TNT Sports’ round table Face Off special with Carl Frampton, Adeleye said: “My problem was never with Wardley. It was with his team.”

After claiming members of ‘Team Wardley’ were “moving a bit funny”, Adeleye said: “Wardley walked over, so I pushed him back. For me, it was just more about protecting myself first. Retaliate first, ask questions later.”

Wardley says he approached Adeleye to simply calm down a brewing situation.

“I hear that there’s a back and forth and I look up and I’m confused. What’s going on between who? I just approach him to be like ‘yo, chill out, there’s no need. Think about where you are. Think about what’s gone into this moment for you to be here. Appreciate that.’

“I was moving calm. Didn’t move quick, didn’t move sharp. I was relaxed.

“The actions of a few, and people who aren’t used to being in those settings, ruined what could’ve been a great day.”

Ahead of their crunch meeting, Wardley and Adeleye sat down with TNT Sports boxing pundit Carl Frampton to preview the fight.

Before sharing their expectations of how the bout will play out, both fighters were keen to put the red carpet controversy behind them.

“That situation on the day wasn’t meant to happen. Obviously, nobody goes out with the intention of getting in altercation,” Adeleye said.

“If I’m having a heated conversation with somebody and you come over towards me, the first thing I’m thinking is you’re coming to do something. Like I said, it’s either me or you so I’d rather retaliate and ask questions later.”

Wardley downplayed the incident too, but also ensured the blame was firmly on the shoulders of his rival.

“As someone who’s been in those situations before, I don’t act like that, I don’t need to. I understand my job. I understand what I’m here to do. I understand that I’m here to be a professional, regardless of if I think so-and-so’s approaching me funny or if he’s looking at me weird,” he said.

Both fighters come into the bout with unbeaten records, and Frampton asked Wardley if he thinks he is a level above Adeleye.

“I don’t think. I know,” he said.

“Tried. Tested. Proven. I’ve been and done it. Big stages, big fights, big moments. I’ve always come through on top. It’s not that I’m even guessing.”

Despite having a 12-0 record himself, Adeleye admits his opponent is the more experienced of the pair.

“He’s got a better resume. Like he said, he’s been there, he’s done that. It doesn’t really matter. It comes down to who you’re fighting at the end of the day and he’s fighting me,” he said.

A show of confidence from Adeleye was met with a wry smile from Wardley who bit back.

“There’s been a couple of moments in your career where it has got a bit much and you’ve backed off and circled off. You’ve not gone in, gone forward, bit down, got stuck in. I’m going off the evidence I’ve seen. It’s all fun and games to talk and say ‘I can do this, I can do that’. What have you done?

“I don’t see it going more than six [rounds]. My plan is to set the pace. Put it on him, stick it on him early. Let him feel that he’s in a big event, big place, big fight and, like I’ve said before, like I’ve predicted, watch him crumble.”

Having allowed Wardley to give his preview of the fight, Frampton asked Adeleye how he sees things playing out in Riyadh.

“I’m going to stop him. He doesn’t have the engine. The guy gasses after a few rounds. He starts breathing heavy.

“He’s getting knocked out,” Adeleye said.

Wardley landed his British title with victory over Nathan Gorman at Wembley Arena in November 2022.

Despite having his nose smashed in the second round, Wardley knocked Gorman down three times before his opponent’s corner threw in the towel in the third.

Adeleye has watched that fight back in the build up to this clash and claims Gorman found a way to hurt Wardley – something he denies.

“He’s [Wardley’s] got a big head but it’s kinda empty in there.

“Your legs were that shaky and he never hurt you? What you think’s gonna happen if your legs get shaky with me. What’s gonna happen when I actually hurt you then?” Adeleye asked.

Responding with confidence, Wardley said: “Same thing that happened to all the others that thought they had me going. That they thought they had me shaking. They thought they had me worried. They was done for. They were gone within 30 seconds later.”