Joseph Parker had all the pieces underneath management … Till he didn’t.
Parker’s opponent on the O2 Enviornment, Fabio Wardley, was down six rounds going into the eleventh. However none of that mattered after Wardley caught Parker with a booming proper hand lower than two minutes into the penultimate spherical. With Parker on the ropes, Wardley unleashed an onslaught of strikes that prompted referee Howard Foster to step in and convey an finish to the bout.
Pundits and struggle followers instantly lambasted the controversial end on social media, together with famend fight sports activities journalist Ariel Helwani.
“Absurd stoppage,” Helwani stated on X. “Per the printed, Parker was up six rounds, two rounds, and even. Was Wardley pouring it on? Sure. However each males have been having moments. No knockdowns. A fighter of Parker’s caliber deserved WAY extra time.”
After the mud had settled, Helwani had the chance to ask Parker his ideas on the sketchy stoppage that value him his interim WBO heavyweight world championship.
“It’s fairly laborious simply to look again on the struggle as a fighter,” Parker stated on The Ariel Helwani Present. “Like, I used to be able to proceed, you realize, and there was at no level the place I needed to cease the struggle. I used to be going to complete robust as a result of he, I believe he blew himself out. In a matter of seconds, my buddies, I used to be able to preserve pushing on.
“When the referee jumped in, I simply stated, ‘Hey, I’m nice,’ however I assume it’s not my job to resolve whether or not or not the struggle can proceed. You recognize, I can sit right here and complain, I can travel and say, ‘Poor me,’ however what are you able to do? Settle for it and take it on the chin and transfer on.”
What’s subsequent for Parker stays to be seen, however a rematch with Wardley is probably going excessive on his checklist. Nonetheless, there are different choices, together with a possible alternative to avenge his loss in opposition to Anthony Joshua in 2018. A possible title eliminator in opposition to Agit Kabayel may very well be within the playing cards, or maybe a conflict with undefeated heavyweight sensation Moses Itauma.
What do you suppose needs to be subsequent for the 33-year-old Samoan?
