Wardley is an underdog in this matchup. He is taking on a former world champion and someone who has beaten the likes of Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang in recent years.

However, Wardley is a live threat. His knockout power has made him a dangerous force inside the ring, and outside of it, his team and those closest to him are providing him with the foundations to succeed.

The biggest figure outside the ring for Wardley is undoubtedly his mother. A constant presence at ringside, Wardley reflected on the support she gives whenever he laces up the gloves.

“She has always been my biggest fan, it's a funny one, when you speak about your mum about boxing or combat sports in general, it can be very brutal, she's never been the one to hide behind her hands, not watch or not watch what's going on,” Wardley said.

“She has always been loud at the front of the crowd, on her feet, cheering, shouting, basically trying to get in the ring herself, if she could, she's been my biggest supporter in that sense.”

While she is the one creating an atmosphere ringside, this does not stop her from casting a critical eye on her son’s performances.

With Wardley winning all of his fights so far by knockout, a lot of them early, the win over Huni in June was an anomaly, with the decisive punch not coming until the tenth round after falling behind on the scorecards .

It may have been a performance Wardley was happy with, but it’s safe to say his mum had a different opinion.

“Her usual spiel of why did it take so long, what took you so long, and why did you hang around so long?

“She was quite satisfied with the Frazer Clarke win, and some other fights that have gone in the first few rounds, she got a bit accustomed to that, so when they've gone a bit further along, she wasn't best pleased.”

Wardley’s mother will be in attendance for the fight against Parker tonight as she hopes her son can secure the biggest win of his boxing career so far.

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For some fighters, catching sight of a family member or someone close can spur them on and give them the extra push needed to get the victory.

For Wardley, it is the opposite. Looking to stay focused on the task at hand, he believes that seeing those closest to him will have a negative effect on his performance.

“No, that's something I actively avoid,” Wardley responded when asked whether he looks out for his mum and family ringside before he fights.

“When I'm on the way to the ring, doing my ring walk, I try to actively avoid where they're sitting, it can be a throw off, because if I'm in a situation, maybe close to them, or up against the ropes towards them, I don't need that thought in my head, thinking about what they can see.

“I try to avoid figuring out where they are.”

Watch Parker vs. Wardley live only on DAZN

Joseph Parker and Fabio Wardley fight tonight to become the WBO mandatory challenger to Oleksandr Usyk. Watch the fight and undercard live and exclusive on DAZN PPV.

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