Comments Thread For: Zhilei Zhang-Joseph Parker To Land on March 8 Joshua-Ngannou Show In Riyadh

[Atypicalbrit]

Credit to both but let's not pretend prince turkey won't be paying them three times as much money to fight each other as they would get in any title shot anywhere outside Saudim these boys are doing OK financially.

[thack]

You've got to love this pair, if only the rest of the diva's were like these two warriors , one calls the other one out both coming off impressive victories and the other accepts. Joe can do this IF he gets him into the late rounds.

[baroidi]

I like the more aggressive Parker under Lee, but if he fights Zhang like he fought Joyce and Wilder he probably gets KO'd. If he moves for the first half of the fight he can easily get a dec or a ref stoppage.

[Ragga1]

I have Parker winning this by UD, I just can't see Zhang landing his big shots consistently with his defensive movement that he showed against Wilder. Zhang also tires quickly in the second half of fights, plus he's 40 years old.

[James Hunt]

"The badest man on the planet" wanted no part of ZZ, so he's now left without a fight.
He forgot this is not PBC where they can pick and choose.

[pollywog]

Hey
Anyone seen Parker's Biggest Fan?
Pollywog
I wonder how Parker handles this Threat

I got nothing left to say.

Joe is in the shape, form and mindset of his life. That's the best time to take on the biggest challenges. Not when you're old, fading and questioning your abilities.

Naturally im backing my guy but its a 50/50 fight with Shifu Andy Lee being the difference maker.

Parker will handle the threat with courage, heart and ultimate self belief in his ability and his team.

I think he'll send Zhang to the floor with a mighty big **** and move on to the next contender.

[ggallin7]

can any wilder fanboys say wilder didnt turn down the zhang fight

[daggum]

can any wilder fanboys say wilder didnt turn down the zhang fight

isnt that the story of his career?

[crimsonfalcon07]

Agreed, but those titles ultimately mean nothing. There is no practical difference between "interim" or "regular" champion and "No 1 ranked" or "first challenger in line". It seems to me that fake titles only serve to placate fighters who own them and get them to not push hard to get the shot at the real title. "Don't make a fuss, you do have a title..." And to get some more sweet, sweet sanctioning fees. Then again, I am naively thinking that a champion who holds a belt hostage should be stripped of it and hoping that it will become an enforced rule some day...

There is a difference. With a #1 contender, you're in line to fight for a mandatory shot. A mandatory shot entitles you to fight the champion eventually when/if the organization decides to order. If they decide not to, they get stripped and you then get to fight the next available highest ranked contender for the vacant title. Maybe.

If you're an interim or WBA regular, if the champion can't or won't fight you when ordered, they get stripped and you get the title without having to take another fight. That, in turn, entitles you to the champion's split in the next fight against the aforementioned contender, who becomes your mandatory.

Interim titles mean that in the absence of the champ, you're considered the real champ, and if the champ doesn't want to face you, then they no longer have a claim on being the real champ. Basically means the sanctioning organization says if you duck this guy, he's the champ, not you. You can pay off a mandatory to take a step aside with some organizations, but I don't think you can do so with an interim champ.

The belt that used to be different was the WBA (regular), because the WBA considered them a real champ even though nobody else did, and not only did they get removed from the rankings, they also weren't entitled for a long time to a shot against the real (Super) champ. And they couldn't unify because the other organizations considered them inferior titlists, and they only unify on even terms. That's the one I have the least respect for. But interim titles exist specifically to keep the division moving when the champ is hanging it up. They're literally the thing you're asking for.

[paulf]

Winnable fight for Parker.

Wilder is again on the outside looking in.