Zach Parker lacks the power to trouble Joshua Buatsi, according to the trainer of their divisional rival Anthony Yarde.
Buatsi and Parker fight on Saturday at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England, in what represents Buatsi’s first contest since his first defeat, in February by Callum Smith.
The 31-year-old Parker is, unlike Buatsi, unbeaten at light heavyweight, having moved up following his only defeat – in 2022 against John Ryder at 168lbs.
Yarde, who fights David Benavidez for the WBC light-heavyweight title in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on November 22, had previously been on course to fight the 32-year-old Buatsi. Should Buatsi win on Saturday, plans to match them could also be revived in 2026.
Yarde’s trainer Babatunde Ajayi, regardless, expects him to do so. He not only believes that Parker will struggle to hurt Buatsi, but that Buatsi, despite having been hurt and beaten by Smith, possesses the mental and physical strength to recover from his first defeat.
“His mentality – he’s come from a hard place,” Ajayi told BoxingScene. “I know Ghanaians. They’re very tough people. Look at Azumah Nelson – he wasn’t the most technical fighter. But what a tough man. Always came up short against technical fighters. Joshua and Callum Smith is a modern-day example.
“But he’s strong. The people that will give Joshua a run for his money are people that can match him for mental strength. Skill, as we saw with Fabio [Wardley] and [Joseph] Parker, sometimes doesn’t play a part to will, heart and desire.
“I fully expect Joshua Buatsi to win that fight. Joshua’s proved more; won the British title incredibly quick. For whatever reason he’s just not taken the right chances at the right time, because competition gets better; it doesn’t get easier. Sometimes, a lot of these fighters – not only Joshua – are waiting for the right moment and not challenging it, and ultimately, no matter what you achieve, a couple months after you’re on to the next one. You’ve got to look yourself in the mirror and take these challenges.
“He may end up being the undisputed light-heavyweight champion of the world, but it’s class, isn’t it? The class is definitely with Joshua. The professionalism is with Joshua as well. Good fighter. Very good fighter. I’ve always rated Josh. I just got angry when he said he was going to fight us and didn’t fight us.”
Ajayi was then asked what he considered to be Buatsi’s weakness, and he responded: “Dealing with pressure. That sounds like a contradiction. But a lot of mentally tough people are only mentally strong when the going is for them. As soon as things don’t go right, they hit a wall and they don’t know what to do. This is where the IQ plays a part.
“Other than that, Josh ticks all boxes. It’s more about himself. I don’t have nothing bad to say about Josh, because you have fighting, and then you have the business side. The business side is what I love, ‘cause I can play games, and I might say something. I’d never disrespect any fighter, unless they’re talking about Ant. [Buatsi] can do everything. He’s what every teacher wants – somebody that’s willing to listen. Somebody that’s willing to put in hard work, and very dedicated to what he says he wants to be. Very good fighter.
“I’ve heard that Zach is not really a clean liver, which surprised me. If those comments are true, he’s going to come unstuck, because that’s what always happens with people who play the game at 95 per cent against people who play at 100 per cent.
“[A strength is his] awkwardness, but he seems to have stopped that now and [to be] going back to the traditional style. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it. I think he should go back to that switch-hitting [style]. His unorthodox style, which he had early days, when he was switch hitting, coming from different angles, is the Zach Parker that could give Josh Buatsi problems early.
“I don’t know about his punch power – I don’t think he’s as solid as Josh. But punch power’s also levels. One of my favourite sayings is ‘Power is determined by who’s standing in front of you’. Who would have thought Terence Crawford would have enough pop in him to really make Canelo [Saul Alvarez] take steps back? GGG [Gennady Golovkin] couldn’t do that. Power’s determined by who’s in front of you, and that’s where Zach’s going to have a problem.
“I think [Buatsi will] stop him.”
