Emerging heavyweight, Fabio Wardley, wants to kick-start professional boxing in Ipswich.

East Anglian Daily Times: Fabio WardleyFabio Wardley (Image: � Stephen Waller)

Emerging heavyweight, Fabio Wardley, wants to kick-start professional boxing in Ipswich.

The former Chantry High School pupil makes his professional debut in Norwich on Friday, and is looking to establish himself in the domestic ranks.

Wardley takes on a yet-unknown opponent at The Halls, on the undercard of promoter Mervyn Turner’s latest Shamrock Promotions’ show, in Norfolk.

At just 22 years of age, former White Collar boxer Wardley is very much at the rookie stage of his career but, fighting out of the Suffolk Punch stable in Martlesham – under trainer, Neil Hodgins – Wardley wants to be a figure that fellow up-and-coming Ipswich boys and girls can try and emulate.

Asked if there were any other names to look out for at the Suffolk Punch stable, Wardley said: “There is a couple of people and our plan was to have a stable with a professional boxer – I was the first one here.

“The Ipswich boxing scene is nonexistent at the moment and although it is good to say ’I am the only one here’, I don’t want it to be like that.

“I want Ipswich to have its own boxing scene and to be of an interest.”

Wardley spends his time training in Ipswich and Norwich, and belongs to the same promotion as former Commonwealth Heavyweight title holder and PrizeFighter winner, Sam Sexton, and the Walsh brothers, Liam and Ryan.

“Sam’s (Sexton) a good person to spar with and it’s nice to have someone like that within the camp that I can learn from and pick things up from,” enthused Wardley.

“I have got so much to learn and there is a massive gap in the transition between white collar boxing and the professional boxing ranks.

“I have jumped in at the deep end a little but I am learning as I go and working with some experienced people.”

He added: “I just want to get through this year, get five or six fights under my belt, obviously all wins, and then look next year at regional title level and plan what we are going to go for.”

Tickets for the event in Norwich on Friday can be purchased through the box office on 07951 021813 or by going online to www.shamrockboxing.co.uk

Also on the card is Colchester-based Connor Vian.