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Five Key Fights: Tracking Joseph Parker's major bouts before Fabio Wardley blockbuster
Joseph Parker looks to put himself in prime position for another world heavyweight title shot this Saturday against Fabio Wardley.
The New Zealander and current WBO interim champion faces the Briton and WBA interim strap holder live on DAZN Pay-Per-View.
For Parker, victory puts him in the box seat to face Oleksandr Usyk, months after the Ukrainian postponed a mandatory challenge.
But it also presents the opportunity for him to add to his career showreel, with the star having posted some superb performances to date.
Ahead of his latest test, DAZN News looks back at five crucial bouts for Parker and examines how each one has led to this moment.
Vs. Andy Ruiz Jr. (December 2016)
After more than a dozen fights against lower-level opposition on domestic turf, Parker earned his shot for the vacant WBO crown.
He was paired with Andy Ruiz Jr., a fellow unbeaten star in an intriguing matchup of styles, after Tyson Fury relinquished the title.
Across a bruising contest, Parker narrowly prevailed with a majority decision, helped by superlative work in the middle of the contest.
Vs. Junior Fa (February 2021)
Over four years on from his greatest triumph - and subsequent losses to Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte - Parker got personal.
An encoutner with Fa, the man who had pipped him for a place at the London 2012 Olympic Games, was a litmus test for his future.
Victory by unanimous decision not only ensured sweet revenge for Parker, it also pushed him back towards the division's upper ranks.
Vs. Derek Chsiroa (December 2021)
A first dance with 'Del Boy' saw Parker edge a controversial split decision, despite being knocked down inside the opening seven seconds.
That ensured a rematch was a formality, and the New Zealander went back to the drawing board with trainer Andy Lee to crack the code.
The result was another war, but one where Parker more clearly dominated, scoring multiple knockdowns en-route to a unanimous decision.
Vs. Deontay Wilder (December 2023)
Perhaps the marquee result on Parker's record so far, the star was booked to face the ex-WBC champion on a stacked Riyadh Season card.
Wilder had been tipped for the win, with powerbrokers keen to set up a mega-bout between the American and Joshua, also on the same bill.
Instead, Parker turned out the performance of his life so far, and comprehensively outclassed his opponent to catapult him to the top table.
Vs. Zhilei Zhang (March 2024)
Just three months after he saw off Wilder, Parker went in against the hard-hitting Chinese star looking to secure the WBO interim strap.
Coming in significantly leaner than his opponent, the New Zealander took a majority decision, despite being knocked down by Zhang twice.
It ensured he moved to become the top operator and challenger with the governing body - and laid a path to his current task this weekend.
Watch Parker vs Wardley live on DAZN
Joseph Parker and Fabio Wardley fight on Saturday, October 25, to become the WBO mandatory challenger to Oleksandr Usyk. Watch the fight and undercard live and exclusive on DAZN PPV.
