Joseph Parker torched the best laid plans to a long-sought Anthony Joshua-Deontay Wilder fight.
The former WBO heavyweight titlist masterfully carried out a specific game plan designed to neutralize Wilder’s historic knockout ability as he claimed a lopsided unanimous decision victory. Scores were 118-111, 118-110 and 120-107, all for Parker in their battle of former titleholders Saturday evening at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Action was slow out the gate, not uncommon for Wilder—who held the WBC title for more than five years from 2015-2020—despite his explosive knockout-to-win ratio. Parker stood his ground in the center of the ring but failed to neutralize the subtle lateral movement by Wilder who pawed with his jab but didn’t connect with anything of consequence. Parker landed an overhand right near the end of the round, though mostly an arm punch with minimal impact.
A similar pattern developed in the second. Parker began to work his way inside behind a jab to the body upon the advice of a corner who boasted an intimate familiarity with Wilder’s strengths and weaknesses.
Parker is a training stablemate of lineal/WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury (34-0-1, 24KOs), who is 2-0-1 with two knockout wins in his trilogy with Wilder. Guiding Parker’s career is Fury’s second cousin and former WBO middleweight titlist Andy Lee, who remained confident throughout the buildup of a knockout victory.
Parker boxed well for three rounds before he picked up the pace in round four. The New Zealand native—who now lives and trains in Morecambe—found a home for his right hand at several points in the round. Wilder responded earlier in the round but responded with a quick counter right of his own that just missed the mark. Parker managed to smother Wilder along the ropes and rode out a right hook to the chin.
Wilder struggled to find his mark in round five. Parker connected with a right hand that landed just enough to back up Wilder. A left hook along the ropes had the heavily favored former WBC titlist briefly off-balance, never to the threat of a knockdown but also to where he was never in position to make Parker pay in response.
Parker was advised by Lee to stick with what worked and also to remain aware at all times. It was a reminder to not leave himself open for Wilder’s legendary right hand. The strategy was masterfully applied by Parker, who slowly found success with his overhand right in the sixth. Wilder was backed up by the shot and later in the round by a left hook.
Wilder used his jab more in the seventh. Parker adapted to it quickly, enough to where he was prepared for and avoided a purposeful right hand from Wilder. The same was not true in reverse, as Parker’s right hand found its mark several times in the round.
Momentum shifted for the first time in the fight midway through round eight, though it barely stayed in that direction for very long.
Parker had a brief lapse, just long enough for Wilder to react and land a booming right hand along the ropes. Parker took the shot well, and again mere seconds later before he was able to hurt Wilder inside the final minute of the round. Wilder was driven to a corner, where Parker lowered his head and launched an overhand right to stun his fellow former titlist. Wilder dodged enough of the follow-up to avoid disaster, but there was genuine concern over what he still had left to offer—in the fight and in his 15-year career.
Wilder enjoyed a better ninth round, only by comparison which was to say he wasn’t in danger of a stoppage. Parker continued to fight with poise as well as into the tenth, although Wilder had a brief moment of success with a modified right uppercut that Parker took on the chin and simultaneously landed an overhand right.
Parker just missed with a pair of right hands that instead landed on Wilder’s left shoulder blade. Wilder was never given a chance to respond as his power shots were telegraphed and occasionally timed with a Parker clinch.
Two different voices pled their case to Wilder prior to the 12th and final round.
Malik Scott—a former Wilder opponent and longtime subsequent team member who took over the lead trainer role prior to the third Fury fight—did his part to instill confidence in a fighter who was well down on the cards and badly needed a knockout. Jay Deas—a member of Team Wilder since his first day in a boxing gym some 20 years ago—advised him on how to position his feet to land the right hand he looked for all evening.
Parker took a risk early in the 12th and final round before he realized that a knockout victory was not in the cards and that he could easily live with a lopsided victory. Wilder chopped with his right hand while Parker initiated a clinch along the ropes but Parker avoided anything dramatic to make it to the bell and complete the upset win.
Wilder fell to 43-3-1 (42KOs). All three defeats have come within his last four fights and the lone win was a 1st round knockout of Helenius for his only round of action in more than two years.
Gone is a long-discussed showdown versus Joshua, which was reportedly in play as long as both fighters won on Saturday.
Instead the curiosity now surrounds the next move for Parker, who claims by far the most notable win of his career. He advanced to 34-3 (23KOs) with his fourth consecutive win—all in an active and productive 2023 campaign following a violent knockout defeat to Joe Joyce last September.
By Jake Donovan