A 13-year pro career, 36 fights, 33 wins, 24 knockouts, but only one opportunity to become world heavyweight champion – that is the story of Joseph Parker.
Parker vs Wardley | Sunday 26 Oct from 4:30am AEDT – estimated main event ring walk time 8:30am AEDT | A classic heavyweight showdown takes place at the 02 Arena in London, as NZ’s Joseph Parker takes on Fabio Wardley | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
Despite being a regular at the top table of heavyweight boxing for over a decade, the New Zealander, incredibly, has only ever been granted one shot at stepping into the ring as a challenger in a world title fight.
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In October 2016 Parker took that one chance, defeating Andy Ruiz in Auckland by majority decision to claim the WBO world heavyweight crown. He defended successfully twice before his reign was ended by the IBF and IBO phenomenon at the time Anthony Joshua in 2018.
A fallen champion normally gets to fight again quickly for his stolen jewels, but while AJ went off in a different direction, Parker was being knocked down twice on his way to defeat by the hands of Dillian Whyte.
The opportunity to sit on the heavyweight throne again was gone.
Four years and seven fights later it got worse for Parker. His career looked over after defeat to Joe Joyce for the WBO Interim world title. His last chance for redemption lost. Or, so we all thought.
The 33-year-old’s renaissance is now well known. Under the guidance of coach Andy Lee, he is on a six-fight winning streak, beating some of the biggest names and hardest punchers in the game. Zhang, Wilder, Bakole all dispatched in impressive style.
Yes, that form was originally recognised with an IBF showdown with Daniel Dubois set for February 2025, only for the Brit to pull out two days before through illness.
But there would be no rearranged contest, instead the 36-3 fighter was left out in the cold, bypassed and forced to watch on as Dubois went straight to Oleksandr Usyk for an undisputed showdown. Usyk winning in five.
Parker, who has now only fought once in 14 months, feels finally on the verge of that second world title bout in 13 years.
Another British boxer is in his way, Fabio Wardley, the fairytale of the fight game, coming from white collar boxing to PPV top bill in just a few short years.
The two Queensberry fighters meet on Sunday morning (AEDT) live and exclusive on DAZN PPV. Their promoter Frank Warren has confirmed exclusively to DAZN News that the WBO have now officially confirmed that the winner will be the mandatory challenger to Usyk.
ULTIMATE GUIDE: Everything you need to know ahead of Parker vs Wardley
“I’m excited and happy to finally get such a big fight and knowing what it could lead to,” Parker told DAZN in an exclusive interview.
“I had the fight in February and thought I’d fight again in July or August. So you have that fight and are really motivated. You are flying in the gym keeping yourself in top shape because you think your next fight is soon.
“But it gets pushed and pushed. It drags on it can be very hard to stay at the same levels.
“I’d have been happy to have three or four fights this year. But it’s been one here, one there. So, you just have to take the opportunities when they come.”
And this is the opportunity for Parker, who goes into the O2 Arena contest as overwhelming favourite against the very dangerous but vastly less experienced Ipswich fighter.
The WBO’s decision means October’s winner they will either face Usyk in an undisputed battle, or the Ukrainian great will vacate the WBO belt to crown the new champion.
Either way, that is a wonderful incentive for both, especially for Parker to make up for all that lost time and be rewarded for such patience.
“This is a massive fight, this is the biggest of my career,” added Parker.
“Everyone is talking about Usyk next, but Fabio Wardley is my Usyk now. Because if I don’t get this right then Usyk never happens.
“The me now beats the me that became world champion. I am very different. More focused, I enjoy training. I have better balance in my life. I’m a completely different and better fighter now.
“I always believed I would be a world champion again. I want to be a world champion, a unified, an undisputed world champion.
“I believe I am the next best [removing Usyk], I believe I can be the best in the world and have those belts. Just give me the opportunity. The opportunity is now.”
— DAZN.com
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