Connect with us

Boxing

Why the Joseph Parker-Fabio Wardley fight is the ultimate risk-reward fight

Published

9 months ago

on

Copy Link

After Oleksandr Usyk’s victory over Daniel Dubois in July, there was a predictable fight to enter the ring.

Officials, dignitaries, promoters and even, not surprisingly, Jake Paul pushed through the ropes to get into the spotlight.

But of all those who were among the crowds and chaos, one had a better reason than most to come face to face with the newly crowned, undisputed heavyweight champion.

Joseph Parker.

“I’m next,” he said respectfully to the Ukrainian, who didn’t answer much.

The official order came from the WBO a few days later: Usyk was to fight their interim champion.

It is generally agreed that if anyone deserved to fight Usyk, that is, by actually winning in the ring, it was Parker. But in reality, a fight was always unlikely. Usyk was injured and asked for additional recovery time, leaving Parker frustrated and in limbo.

The Up-to-date Zealander is currently on a winning streak that is widely regarded as one of, if not the, best in boxing, and he wants to make hay while the sun shines. Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang and Martin Bakole all faced Parker and lost, the latter by second-round knockout in February.

The success reignited Parker’s hopes of becoming a two-time heavyweight champion. But when Usyk dropped out, Parker started to get nervous.

Others would wait; trash talk on social media that has the boxing equivalent of a tantrum.

That’s not Parker’s style.

He feels best when he is energetic and tired of waiting. The result is a Saturday showdown in London against the striking, undefeated Fabio Wardley. A victory will put Parker in even greater pole position for the fight against Usyk, but he won’t be able to rest for a moment against Wardley, who knocked out Justis Huni in July when he was underdogs and heading for defeat.

“I think winning definitely puts you in that position,” Parker told ESPN. “But whether you succeed or not is a completely different story. The best approach to this fight is to go out there and have fun.

“And when you’re having fun, everything flows nicely, flows better, and you can get down to work and get it done.”

Parker also points out that while governing bodies can order fights and promoters want huge sales; there is one man who rules the heavyweight division.

“All these promoters can say, ‘you know what, whoever wins this fight will be next, and whoever does it will be next,’ but they don’t really have control over it,” Parker says from experience. “Usyk the one who actually shows he is in control.”

Parker knows that if he were to beat Wardley, Usyk would have no other choice if he wants the fight in the first half of 2026, with Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury likely not exercising their options until the end of the year.

But it’s a huge risk.

Not only because it is a threatening fight, but Parker is walking on the tightrope of last chance if he wants to become a two-time world champion. Fortunately for Parker, he has recent experience facing huge men; the above-mentioned fighters who rely more on their power than their boxing skills.

But when you’re this close to the title, it doesn’t matter how good you look or how skillful you are. You just have to win. Wardley knows this better than most.

Heading towards defeat after largely losing to Huni, the Englishman unleashed a huge right hand in round 10. The Australian didn’t get up, suffering the same fate as Frazer Clarke, who lasted less than a round in his October 2024 rematch with Wardley.

Wardley’s punch left a perceptible mark on the side of Clarke’s head.

“I’m not saying I’m some Usyk… someone with all the skills. But the one thing I know how to do is win,” Wardley said after the Huni fight.

Maybe, but he hasn’t shared a ring with anyone at Parker’s level yet.

This makes for an intriguing matchup.

This is a fight that will either cost Parker the chance to fight Usyk, or the Ukrainian will be left with no choice but to fight him.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Boxing

Usyk Analyzes Anthony Joshuas Performance Against Kristian Prenga After Overcoming Two Knockdowns

Published

1 day ago

on

July 25, 2026

By

"Usyk Analyzes Anthony Joshua's Performance Against Kristian Prenga After Overcoming Two Knockdowns"

Oleksandr Usyk has shared his reaction to Anthony Joshua‘s dramatic knockout victory against Kristian Prenga.

Usyk nearly suffered his own shock defeat in May when he was pushed to the limit by kickboxing star Rico Verhoevenand two months on it was nrw teammate Joshua’s turn to come close to a massive upset loss that would have stunned the heavyweight division.

The Brit was dropped twice by massive underdog Prenga in the opening round of their clash in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturday, but ‘AJ’ managed to recover and record a big knockdown of his own in the second round that resulted in the stoppage victory.

Joshua and Usyk now train together, having famously had two battles for the unified world heavyweight title in 2021 and 2022, and the Ukrainian has had his say on his stablemate’s victory over Prenga.

Speaking to TalkSporttwo-time undisputed champion Usyk praised Joshua, insisting ‘AJ is back’ before predicting that Joshua will now claim a knockout win over long-term rival Tyson Fury in his next bout.

“Anthony Joshua is next undisputed champion. First round it’s a test but AJ is back.

It’s boxing, [the] big upper cut is good, it’s a knockdown. AJ [come] back and win.

“Greedy Belly [Fury] will speak now and say weak chin, Greedy Belly get out. AJ wins [against Fury], [he will] knock him out.”

Fury was victorious on Friday as he earned a seventh round retirement win against Mariusz Wach in Thailand, paving the way for the showdown against Joshua later this year.

Continue Reading

Boxing

Jake Paul Reacts to Anthony Joshuas Stunning Victory Over Kristian Prenga After Two Early Knockdowns

Published

1 day ago

on

July 25, 2026

By

"Jake Paul Reacts to Anthony Joshua's Stunning Victory Over Kristian Prenga After Two Early Knockdowns"

Jake Paul was the last man to fight Anthony Joshua and he has now revealed his verdict on AJ’s chaotic victory over Kristian Prenga.

Joshua went up against Prenga in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturdayin a clash that was expected to be a comfortable win for the former world heavyweight champion in order to set up the long overdue battle against Tyson Fury.

Any hopes of seeing that clash were nearly ended after AJ was dropped twice in the opening round of the bout, though he was able to recover and claim the second round knockout to come out on top and prevent a stunning shock upset from taking place.

Saturday’s outing saw Joshua back in the ring for the first time since his sixth round triumph over YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul back in Decemberand now ‘The Problem Child’ himself has shared his reaction to his former rival’s victory over Prenga.

Posting on social mediaPaul praised AJ for earning the win, after returning to action following the tragic car crash he was involved in at the end of last year which took the lives of his two close friends.

“Happy for Joshua with that win after all he’s been through. Remembering Sina and Latz with this one.”

The win for Joshua should now tee up for meeting with Fury later this year, after ‘The Gypsy King’ held up his end of the bargain by also securing a win in his warm-up bout on Friday, securing a seventh round retirement win against Mariusz Wach.

Continue Reading

Boxing

Tony Bellew Reviews Anthony Joshuas Comeback Victory Over Kristian Prenga After Knockdown Drama

Published

1 day ago

on

July 25, 2026

By

Tony Bellew Reviews Anthony Joshua's Comeback Victory Over Kristian Prenga After Knockdown Drama

Anthony Joshua may have earned a knockout win over Kristian Prenga but the fight certainly didn’t unfold as most people expected.

Joshua was facing the Albanian in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturday, and it looked like a massive upset could be on the cards when he was dropped twice in the opening round.

‘AJ’ was able to recover and went on to secure a second round knockout victory to prevent the shock lossseemingly paving the way for the battle against Tyson Fury later this year.

One man who was ringside to witness the battle was former cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellewand he praised Joshua’s ability to turn things around in the fight after describing it as ‘chaos’.

“We predicted round two but I don’t think we foresaw that. That was chaos. He doesn’t see the uppercut coming and finds himself on the floor without knowing how he got there.

“The second one he did see it coming and he was able to clench down on the jaw. He got up and then the experience that he has he used tonight because he tied him up. Against Andy Ruiz he didn’t know what he was doing and didn’t know how to do that, but tonight he did.

“He showed once again there is no quit. To be that hurt in the first round and get up, that’s the recoveries of power. People talk about your chin, but it’s not, it’s the level of fitness that gets you up from the floor.

“When Joshua gets a fighter hurt he’s the best finisher in the division. Whenever he hurts someone they’re gone. I haven’t seen him drop anybody and they survive, only Andy Ruiz. He’s a ruthless finisher.”

The clash between Joshua and Fury is now expected to be announced soon for later this year, after Fury won his own interim fight on Friday by defeating Mariusz Wach.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

OUR NEWSLETTER

Subscribe Us To Receive Our Latest News Directly In Your Inbox!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Trending