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Why Wardley is perfect opponent for Parker to stake his claim for Usyk title shot
Heavyweight contenders Joseph Parker and Fabio Wardley are set to put it all on the line when they face each other in a huge fight at the O2 Arena on October 25, live on DAZN.
The interim WBO heavyweight champion Parker had looked set for a clash with undisputed king Oleksandr Usyk, but he has been made to wait for his shot at glory after the Ukrainian great suffered an injury setback.
Parker could have sat on the sidelines while Usyk recovered but he has chosen to take a fight with the unbeaten Wardley instead.
On paper, it looks like a very dangerous fight for Parker, especially when he is on the brink of getting a chance to become a two-time heavyweight champion.
But let’s take a look at why facing Wardley is actually the perfect fight for Parker to cement his position as Usyk’s next challenger.
The chance to take Wardley’s 0Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
Wardley has never lost before, with a draw against domestic rival Frazer Clarke the only blemish on his 20-fight professional record.
Wardley settled the score with Clarke late last year by knocking him out in devastating fashion inside a round.
To date, no one has managed to stop the Wardley juggernaut as he has swiftly moved up the rankings after coming into the professional game with few expectations due to having no amateur experience after starting off in white-collar boxing.
Usyk has made a habit of seeing off undefeated fighters throughout his career. He was the first man to beat Mairis Briedis and Murat Gassiev down at cruiserweight to establish himself as the best 200lbs fighter of his generation and then took away Tyson Fury’s 0 up at heavyweight.
If Parker can get past Wardley he will end the unbeaten run of a top-10 heavyweight fighter, according to The Ring, and will show Usyk he means business when it comes to getting back to the top of boxing’s blue-riband division.
Leigh Dawney/Queensberry
A fan-friendly fight
Parker has turned his career around in the last two years after fears that his best days may have been behind him.
The Kiwi heavyweight picked up points wins over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang across the space of 11 weeks before stopping late replacement Martin Bakole in just two rounds back in February.
But the fights against Wilder and Zhang were hardly thrilling spectacles. There was a lack of action in both contests and concerns have been raised that a fight with Usyk could go down a similar path and turn into a tactical affair.
Yet Parker displayed impressive power against Bakole and he can make a statement by taking the fight to Wardley next month.
Wardley never takes a backwards step, meaning he isn’t difficult to find. He took a lot of punches in his last outing against Justis Huni and was well behind on the scorecards before producing a huge right hand to stop the Aussie in the 10th round.
Parker is one of the more skilful fighters in the heavyweight division and should try to use his attributes to pick Wardley apart in a fight where neither man will want to give ground.
Unlike Wilder and Zhang, Wardley will not be afraid to let his hands go, and Parker could meet fire with fire to put on a show and prove he can be a fan-friendly fighter.
Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
Getting the British public on side
Usyk’s last seven fights have all been against British opponents and he has won every single time, earning him the nickname ‘The Brit Basher’.
Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh has made it clear that he would like to see Usyk take on another Brit, Moses Itauma, in the near future.
The British public have taken Usyk to their hearts, as shown by the tremendous reception he received from the Wembley crowd for his rematch with Daniel Dubois in July.
It makes sense that there is clamour for Usyk to keep fighting Brits, and he has spoken about potentially facing Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua again as they remain the biggest names in the division and will bring the greatest financial reward.
But Parker is now set to face another Brit in the shape of Wardley on UK soil. He has the opportunity to dazzle in front of the British public to show exactly why he should be next in line for a fight with Usyk.
There is a feeling in some quarters that Parker has been harshly treated in recent times as he waits for Usyk to decide his next move. A dominant win over Wardley on away turf could convince fans that Parker fully deserves to be at the front of the heavyweight queue.
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