Tim Bradley says the referee made the right decision by stopping Joseph Parker’s fight against Fabio Wardley in the 11th round after interim WBO heavyweight champion Parker (36-4, 24 KO) suffered an injury at the O2 Arena in London.
(Source: Queensberry/Leigh Dawney)
Mouthpiece moment
Bradley points out that early in the fight, referee Howard Foster saved Parker by stopping the action in the second round to allow him to wash his corner and reattach his mouthpiece after losing it while snowed in by Wardley’s (20-0-1, 19 KO) punches.
Wardley’s knockout window fails
Parker was then mortally wounded with 40 seconds remaining in the round. His condition and the way Wardley was raining blows on him made it clear that he would not have survived had Referee Foster not stopped the action to allow him to reattach his mouthpiece.
Ten seconds passed before the mouthpiece rest, allowing Parker to recover in the final 30 seconds of the round. If not for this, the fight likely would have ended in the second round, with Wardley winning by knockout in the second round.
The analogy of a drowning man
Using the analogy of a drowning man, Bradley states that Judge Foster couldn’t wait for Parker to stop struggling before stepping in to save him before he fell. In nearly two minutes of action in round 11, Parker did just that in total, he landed only seven blows. Wardley landed 52 punches, landing 27.
Parker was physically unresponsive after being injured in the 10th round and was unable to fight in the 11th round. Referee Howard Foster noted the lack of punches from Parker.
Parker’s final seven-punch fight
Going into the 11th round, Joseph looked like he was walking on eggshells, like a doomed man heading towards the guillotine. At this point in the fight, he had nothing left to lose after the punishment he took from Wardley at the end of the 10th round. That’s why it’s not surprising that Parker only landed seven punches when the fight was stopped at 1:54 of round 11. He was too hurt to throw, and all he did was avoid Fabio’s punches.
Bradley’s breakdown
“The referee saved Parker. Parker’s mouthpiece fell off, he fell to the floor and the referee took his time, picked it up and went to the corner. He gave it to the corner, washed it and put it back in his mouth,” Tim Bradley said in his canaltalking about how referee Howard Foster saved Joseph Parker in the second round when he gave him a timeout after he “accidentally” lost his mouthpiece while being drilled non-stop with Fabio Wardley’s post-injury punches.
“He [Wardley] he lost his advantage at this point. He gave it to Parker [10] seconds to recover. A few seconds to bring life back to his body. The referee should have taken that mouthpiece and immediately put it back in his mouth… You’re wasting seconds. This man [Parker] got hurt,” Bradley said.
Haney won titles in three weight classes and was undisputed at lightweight. Most recently he defeated Brian Norman Jr. for the WBO welterweight world title.
Both men have impressed in their recent wins and are widely considered two of the most technically elite fighters in the sport today. A fight between the two has been discussed for a long time, and The Ring’s Mike Coppinger reported that it could now become a reality if one key hurdle can be overcome – an agreed weight limit.
This problem is not effortless to solve and may prove too stern for negotiations to overcome. Haney said he felt best at welterweight and looked exhausted at super lightweight. Stevenson argues that his opponent faced Jose Ramirez at the 144-pound catchweight last year and could do the same again. While Haney handled the weight well and performed well on the night, there is no doubt he would have been at a disadvantage.
Stevenson, however, argued that he is still a natural lightweight – even though he looks comfortable against Lopez at 140 pounds – and that a meeting under the welterweight limit creates a more even playing field.
Time will tell whether this can be agreed behind the scenes. A significant amount could assist move things forward, but given their undefeated records, pound-for-pound status and position as the face of American boxing, both Stevenson and Haney will be cautious in making decisions.
David Benavidez doesn’t think size alone will decide his fight against Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez. Ahead of the cruiserweight title clash, Benavidez says the advantage will come down to speed, combinations and a style that he feels Ramirez hasn’t faced before.
Benavidez said Ramirez is a bigger man and is used to facing naturally bigger opponents in the cruiserweight division, but he doesn’t see it as a problem. He believes the slower pace typical of this weight will work to his advantage once the punches start falling.
Benavidez said Ramirez has never faced someone like him in an official fight. Although both have sparred in the past, Benavidez has made it clear that he sees a major difference between rounds in the gym and fighting him under the lights for twelve rounds.
“There are a lot of opportunities to hit him with a lot of combinations because he is slower,” Benavidez told Double3 Coverage. “My speed, my movement and my defense will be too much for him and I will surely overwhelm and drown him with pressure and volume.”
It’s compelling that he so casually disregards the size difference. While Zurdo Ramirez is a natural cruiserweight and holds the unified WBA/WBO titles, Benavidez is betting that speed and volume will be the universal equalizer.
Benavidez sounds like a man who thinks he’s found a flaw in the system. Moving up to cruiserweight, he believes his hand speed will be a blur compared to fighters in the 200-pound division. But here comes the fear of a massacre.
He already says this is “his era.” When a fighter begins to look beyond a unified champion like Ramirez toward a September coronation or a legacy-defining run, he usually leaves his chin exposed.
On the other hand, bookmakers do not predict a massacre, at least not in the case of Benavidez. There’s a reason he’s a -600 favorite. Most analysts believe he is just unique enough that his volume will break Zurdo’s rhythm before the size difference becomes a factor.
Dan Ambrose is a boxing journalist at Boxing News 24, respected for his direct analysis and extensive coverage of the global fight landscape. His reports focus on the most vital fights, division development and the most discussed stories in sports.
Shakur Stevenson has hit the brakes following reports that he is in preliminary talks to fight Devin Haney.
Both elite Americans have claims to pound-for-pound status, both boast undefeated records and are considered among the most defensively gifted operators of the contemporary era.
However, a weight class or two has always separated them, and Haney’s recent move to welterweight – a division Stevenson says he can get to but is in no rush – seemed to make that fight less likely.
To make that happen, Stevenson said he would like Haney to agree to a catchweight of 144 pounds, the same limit he reached when defeating Jose Ramirez in 2025.
Today, The Ring’s Mike Coppinger reported that discussions had already begun, but the weight was a sticking point, with Stevenson likely still insisting on the stipulation, but Haney was keen on staying at 147 pounds.
However, Stevenson has now responded to Coppinger’s claim by speaking further X that there was no contact between the teams.
“I know the fans like to get excited and can toy with you all and easily manipulate you, but this rumor is dead for the second time. I haven’t heard a word about it, [I don’t know] what are they? [trying to] hide or hide, but me and my team haven’t heard any nonsense.”
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