Ipswich boxing star Fabio Wardley has spoken of his disappointment after his huge domestic dust-up with Olympian Frazer Clarke was scuppered by his rival's team.

Wardley (16-0, 15KO) was due to make the first defence of his British heavyweight title against Olympic bronze medallist Clarke (6-0, 5KO) later this year.

East Anglian Daily Times: Wardley had been told to defend his British title against Olympian Frazer ClarkeWardley had been told to defend his British title against Olympian Frazer Clarke

The fight was ordered by the British Boxing Board of Control, with purse bids from promoters due today.

There had been initial discussions about potentially holding the fight at Portman Road home of Wardley's beloved Ipswich Town, with his promoter Eddie Hearn meeting Town CEO Mark Ashton last month.

But Hearn revealed on Twitter earlier that the board told him that Clarke's Boxxer promotion team had withdrawn their fighter from the process.

He wrote: "Heard from the BBBofC that Boxxer has pulled Frazer Clarke out of the Fabio Wardley purse bid today.

"What a complete joke and a waste of our time. Robbing the fighters of opportunity and the fans of a brilliant fight. Shambles."

The news leaves Wardley without an opponent for his first defence. He has also been linked with a fight against English champ Solomon Dacres (6-0, 2KO) and heavy-handed prospect David Adeleye (11-0, 10KO).

A clearly dejected Wardley told us: "They’re a mess over there (at Boxxer), they don’t know what they’re doing. They’ve messed it up.

“There is no plan B at the moment. We have to wait and see what the board does – because this fight was mandated we have to wait and see if the board will mandate someone else or give me a voluntary (defence)."

With the Clarke fight apparently dead in the water, the prospect of Wardley fighting at Portman Road this year is now slim.

However, there remains a willingness from all sides to host a big Wardley fight at the historic home of Ipswich Town in the future.