FRAZER CLARKE has revealed that a leading surgeon was woken up in order to treat him after his brutal knockout by Fabio Wardley.

The British boxer was left with a dent in his head after his first-round defeat in Riyadh.

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The gruesome injury suffered by Clarke saw Saudi adviser Turki Alalshikh spring into action.

He reportedly called a sleeping leading surgeon in the early hours of October 13 to make sure that Clarke received the best treatment.

Clarke, 33, revealed that the call was made as he outlined his horror injuries.

He told talkSPORT: “Two fractures to the cheekbone, the recovery is going to be between eight and 12 weeks.

“They told me that surgery went exactly as they wanted it to, and that it will heal stronger than before.

“A massive thank you to everyone in Saudi Arabia who looked after me, because they were unbelievable.

“My partner, she was unbelievable.

“I’m grateful, because at the time it looked very bad for me, but I’m grateful.”

The Olympic bronze medalist also wrote off the idea that he will hang up his gloves following his “devastating” loss.

He added: “Don’t get me wrong, I was devastated at the time and my pride is still dented now

“It is going to be a difficult road, but I will work hard – like I always have – and aim for those heights again.

“I’m 33, but I’m in the prime of my life. I felt in my prime on that night, but it was just a great shot from Fabio and a leaky defence and switch-off from myself.

“But I’m the fittest now and the most athletic I’ve been in my whole career, so I’m not even looking for it to be over. If anything, it is just a blip in the road.

“We were so prepared for that fight. It was the best shape I had been in both mentally and physically, and I didn’t see anything but a win for myself.

“But it was a harsh reminder, especially in heavyweight boxing, that if you switch off for a second that is what can happen. And I’ve had to learn it the hard way.

“I hold my hands up; my team did a fantastic job, it was me making the mistake, and it cost me.”

Wardley’s win over Clarke meant that he maintained his unbeaten record and ended the pair’s rivarly.

Clarke insisted that he wishes the best for the 29-year-old moving forward.

He said: “I vaguely remember saying congratulations to Fabio in the ring on the night.

“Everything was a bit of a blur, but I vaguely remember saying well done to him, and I told anyone that would see him – including [promoter] Frank Warren – to pass on my best wishes and congratulations.”

LAS VEGAS – Rob Font expects an action-packed fight with Kyler Phillips.

Font (20-8 MMA, 10-7 UFC) takes on Phillips (12-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 245 (ESPN+) co-main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

“Kyler, he brings it,” Font told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a UFC Fight Night 245 pre-fight news conference Wednesday. “He’s nonstop action. These type of guys, there’s more opportunities to counter, more opportunities to get finishes, and they’re not necessarily a boring fight at all.”

Font is no stranger to facing a surging bantamweight contender, and thinks Phillips style matches up perfectly with his.

“I think this is a great matchup. I think this is a Fight of the Night for sure,” Font said. “Like I said, he brings it. He starts off fast. I believe I start off fast, as well. He has a wild kicking style. He’ll pull guard and try to jump on submissions.

“He seems like a lifelong martial artist, like one of those kids that have been in the gym since he was like 3 – karate background, jiu-jitsu background, and he’s fighting tough guys. He just beat Pedro Munhoz so, this is another tough fight.”

Font will look to snap a two-fight losing skid after losses to Cory Sandhagen and Deiveson Figueiredo. The last time he lost back-to-back fights, he was able to upset Adrian Yanez with a TKO finish, and he looks to play spoiler once again vs. Phillips.

“This feels similar to when I fought Adrian Yanez,” Font said. “Unfortunately I lost two in a row, then I fought him, got a big win and then lost another two in a row. Now I’m back with another unranked fighter that’s super dangerous, so it has that feeling. It just gets me up and ready to go. I know with a big win, a big finish, the headlines will be different.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 245.

Cars produced between 1991 and 2000 will be eligible for competition in historic events from next year, following an adjustment to the FIA’s International Sporting Code. 

It was announced following today’s meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council that a tweak to the ISC’s Appendix K, which covers historic racing, means cars built during the 1990s and in the last year of the millennium will be able to carry Historic Technical Passports that are required for eligibility in FIA-run championships.

The governing body has stated that it will conduct workshops in early 2025 to assist the owners of newly-eligible historic cars with applications for the required documentation to allow the cars to race.  

Further announcements are set to follow, the FIA has pledged.

F1 cars from the 3.5-litre era into the early years of the V10’s domination will notably be able to race, having previously only been approved for demonstration purposes.

Cars produced during the glory years of touring car racing’s fabled Super Touring era will qualify, as will cars built during the pinnacle of Formula 3000’s open-make era that concluded in 1995, and its first two single-make Lola chassis from 1996 and 1999.

Among the rally cars now eligible for historic competition are those from the early years of the World Rally Championship regulations that began in 1997, as well as the Group A era that preceded it, while revered sportscars including prototypes and GT cars that raced in the Le Mans 24 Hours and FIA GT championship may also return to racing.

Tarso Marques (BRA) DAMS Reynard 95D leads the field into the first corner on the way to his first ever Formula 3000 victory.

Photo by: Sutton Images

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Certain cars from the era already have series in which to compete. 

Group C and IMSA GTP machinery from 1982 to 1993 will be eligible for the newly created Masters Le Mans 80+ category organised by Masters Historic Racing next year.

The F1 ’90s Time Attack Mediterranean Challenge was set up this year in France for F1 cars built between 1986-2000 and 1985-2000 F3000 machinery.

Numerous club-level categories for Super Touring machinery have been organised, but have often struggled for entries due to the cost of running cars that, as the era progressed, used increasingly bespoke components.

Laurent Aïello, Vodafone Nissan Racing, Nissan Primera GT, leads Rickard Rydell, Volvo S40 Racing, Volvo S40, Jason Plato, Nescafé Blend 37 Williams Renault, Renault Laguna, and Peter Kox, Team Honda Sport, Honda Accord, at the start of the race.

Photo by: Malcolm Griffiths

Formula E organisers have been unable to find a 17th race for the upcoming season that leaves a two-month gap in the schedule, but plan to host an as-yet-unannounced event that will “maintain engagement with fans”.

A 17-race calendar was initially announced in June by the all-electric championship, with a TBD slot slated for the 8 March which would have been the fourth round in the schedule.

But at the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council meeting on Thursday, the governing body confirmed that only a 16-race season would be held, beginning with Sao Paulo in December and ending in London next July.

Motorsport.com understands that Chiang Mai in Thailand was originally proposed as the TBD venue but a change in government meant that the possibility of holding a Formula E race in the country for the first time fell through.

Other alternative options were also explored, including a second race in China with a return to Sanya alongside a visit to Shanghai on 31 May-1 June, as well as potentially hosting a third race in Berlin, which already has a double-header on 12-13 July.

Fans at the podium

Photo by: Andreas Beil

It means there is now a two-month gap between the third round in Saudi Arabia, using a truncated version of Jeddah’s Formula 1 layout on 14-15 February for the first time, and the inaugural race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway in the US on 12 April.

It is also the second year in succession where a scheduled race has been lost from the initial schedule, after Hyderabad was removed from the 2023/24 calendar again due to changes in local government.

Following the WMSC meeting, a Formula E spokesperson said: “We are excited to deliver the calendar of 16 Formula E races in Season 11 that was announced earlier this year – the same number that led to record-breaking fan and broadcast audience growth globally.

“Across 10 events we’ll race at several long-standing favourites, with upgrades to double headers in some locations and some fantastic new venues in key markets.

“With the arrival of the new Gen3 Evo technology putting our drivers behind the wheel of the fastest cars ever raced in Formula E, we can’t wait to get the season started and couldn’t be more excited about the potential the championship has to thrill and attract new fans.

“Work is already underway to build and maintain engagement with fans all season long, with more details to be announced in the coming months.”