Duke McKenzie delivers damning verdict on Parker in wake of Wardley defeat

Boxing legend Duke McKenzie believes Joseph Parker "threw it away" during his defeat to Fabio Wardley and "got his tactics all wrong".

Parker and Wardley met in a huge clash at London's O2 Arena to decide the next challenger to Usyk's undisputed heavyweight crown.on Saturday night, live on DAZN PPV .

Ipswich native Wardley claimed the WBO 'interim' title when he forced referee Howard Foster to stop the fight in the 11th round as he dominated former world champion Parker, who had been hurt badly in the previous round by a right uppercut.

McKenzie, a former three division world boxing champion, told Boxing King Media: "Beforehand, I never gave him [Wardley] a chance.

"Joseph Parker is a world-class operator but he's been treading water now for some time, waiting to get his world title fight.

"I thought Parker would beat Fabio Wardley quite comfortably and potentially stop him late.

"But that wasn't the case and the only thing that disappointed me about Parker was that he threw it away. Tactically, he got his tactics all wrong."

Parker promised to be a “different level” to the 30-year-old and that appeared the case for much of the bout in London.

Wardley seemed to have missed out on the chance to stop the bout in a back-and-forth second round and again in the 10th, which appeared a sliding doors moments for the Ipswich right-hander.

Yet, after Parker could not get his rival out, Wardley roared back with a huge right to wobble the New Zealander in the 11th and a flurry of further punches forced a dramatic stoppage to continue his fairytale story in the sport.

McKenzie added: "I know all heavyweight boxers hit hard, but Fabio Wardley is on a great run of knockouts.

"Everyone they put him in front of him, he blows them out of the water, whether it's early or late.

"My disappointment from Parker was that, if you know you're in with a big puncher, coming in heavier makes yoy slower and more tired.

"Why he chose to have a fight with Fabio Wardley, who is a noted puncher, again, a red flag. I don't get it, so he threw it away for me."