Joseph Parker did what not many said he could by beating Deontay Wilder over the distance in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Wilder walked to the ring for the first time in over a year. That last outing was a first round blowout of Robert Helenius which was preceded by two bruising losses at the hands of Tyson Fury and a brief consideration of retirement.
Parker, on the other hand, had fought three times already this year, albeit at a much lower-level. His training partnership with Andy Lee is starting to enter its more important phase, and he remained confident throughout fight week.
Despite the advantage in activity, the heavyweight from New Zealand stepped through the ropes a 4/1 betting underdog – such is the thunderous power of Wilder.
Parker took centre of the ring to begin, Wilder circled. Very little thrown in the first, but the tension palpable. Feints on both sides in the second. Parker managed a couple of glancing big right hands whilst Wilder kept a focus on his distance and jab.
In the corner, Andy Lee told Parker he had two rounds in the bank, but ‘we’re not going for points, we’re going for a knockout.’
Round three saw more of the same plus some sloppy exchanges, but Parker coming out better. In the fourth, Parker landed a big hook and Wilder returned quickly, but again the underdog closed the distance and scored another couple. Good game-plan so far, and finished the round with another impressive flurry.
By the fifth, there was still more waiting than throwing on Wilder’s part. Of course, many will say that it doesn’t matter given his power, but his partnership with Malik Scott was promised to change starts like this.
Jabs to head and body for Parker were still scoring points at the halfway stage. Wilder got a bit more confident with the right hand by the end of the sixth, but Parker shelled up well and won yet another round.
Both men were looking for big right hands in the seventh, and Parker landed the more impressive. Wilder looked uncomfortable in the clinch, often rabbit punching.
Parker’s jab to the body was a good weapon into the eighth and it set up a big right hand. That woke Wilder up, who finally showed some instinct to push the fight and threw his hands. The Kiwi stayed comfortable and got back to his jab before landing an overhand right. The following flurry wobbled Wilder, and Parker tried to finish it. ‘The Bronze Bomber’ was saved by the bell.
His legs weren’t back under him in the ninth, and a disciplined Parker stalked him but stayed disciplined. The American got on the offensive towards the end of the round and landed a thudding shot on Parker’s glove. He needed to do what he has done 42 times in the final three rounds.
He didn’t find it in the tenth despite a little more effort, nor the eleventh where Parker managed to get him off balance on three occasions.
Parker was on to a shut out in the twelfth, but kept engaging valiantly. Wilder pushed the pace but it was too little too late, and his accuracy was all off. Parker scored another thudding overhand right with thirty seconds to go, and kept it close for the rest – nobody can blame him. A great performance, and a little sad to see Wilder celebrate a victory that would never come.
No urgency or accuracy on the American’s part, but that was all because of Parker and his work with Lee. He has ruined the heavyweight division’s plans, and deserves all that’s coming to him for being willing to do it.
Unanimous decision: 118-111, 118-110, 120-108