LONDON – For the second consecutive day, heavyweight contenders Joseph Parker and Fabio Wardley came head-to-head before they fight on October 25.
They will collide at the O2 Arena in London in an important bout as they vie for a shot at heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk and they met today near London Bridge to formally announce their contest.
Former WBO champion Parker, 36-2 (24 KOs) and the WBO’s interim belt-holder, has been in the form of his life since his loss to Joe Joyce in September 2023. In his last three, he has beaten Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang and Martin Bakole and the 33-year-old New Zealander is risking a Usyk fight by staying busy against Ipswich star Wardley.
“Walking towards the fire, I love the fire,” said Parker. “I’ve fought a lot of big punchers and they’ve not been able to get me out of there. We’re showing, as fighters, we will fight anyone at any time. I bring a lot of experience; belief and I will win on the 25th of October. “They do say there are levels in boxing and I believe what I’ve been working on in New Zealand and I’m excited to see what I do in the ring.”
Wardley is 19-0-1 (18 KOs), and is coming off a one-round demolition of Olympian Frazer Clarke and a come-from-behind KO of Justis Huni in June. Aged 30, he holds the WBA’s interim title.
The heavyweights are trained by two of the most in-demand coaches in the sport. Parker is with Irish star Andy Lee, while Wardley is with Ben Davison.
“This is a huge moment in my career, a defining moment,” said Wardley. “I’m committed to that saying of ‘big fights only.’ I’ve not come this far to wait for things to be handed to me, I’m a go-getter… I’m not just going to sit in the wings and wait. I’m going to ask Frank what’s the next best thing.”
Wardley said he had “ticked off the right amount of milestones” on his way to the contest.
Promoter Frank Warren, overseeing one of the most intriguing heavyweight divisions in history, laid out what’s at stake.
“You’ve got two guys who don’t need to fight each other, both are interim champions, Usyk is out for 90 days [with an injury] and the WBO has said that at the end of the 90 days he has to defend it or he will be stripped. This fight has been made because the winner will fight him, or the winner will be declared champion if he [Usyk] vacates. For Fabio, he’s seizing the chance as is Joe Parker. The winner takes all. It’s two fighting men putting it on the line to go out and fight for the right to fight for all four belts. The winner will get Usyk; that’s what they’re fighting for.”
