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

[greeneye99]

Zhang all day. He's really talented and I'll be honest he smokes wilder also.

You ready to put up some $$$ on Your Prediction?

[Sheikh]

Coward wilder

[FairPlay]

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.

It seems to me that the differences between mandatory (which is what I meant when I said #1 contender) and regular and interim champions are more theory than practice (aside from the fact that if the real champion somehow disappears, regular/interim gets elevated without a fight... but I think that is not the way most boxers want to become real champions). Sanctioning bodies can string a fighter along indefinitely, whether he is a "champion" or a mandatory, if they are hell bent on letting the real champion keep his belt. Interim champions are what I am asking for, in theory, and that is the whole point of what I wrote. In practice, if the sanctioning body decides so, the reigning champion can do pretty much anything except die, and the interim may never be elevated or get a shot.

[Toffee]

Winnable fight for Parker.

Wilder is again on the outside looking in.

He needed to be in a big fight on this card to even exist in the division.

Potentially he still gets on... but at what? 3rd or 4th down the order?

Hard to see any way back now when guys ranked above him are fighting each other.

Sad ending for Wilder really. He's been decent fun, but never proved himself at all. Probably because he couldn't, but better to have gone down trying rather than to fade out like this. His money will give him some consolation of course and he likely doesn't care what anyone thinks.

[PunchyPotorff]

Didn't think Parker would beat Wilder, but I do think he'll beat Zhang. Especially if he comes
prepared like he did last fight. Good to see this one coming up. It's good for the sport to have
the type fight where the top fighters go against each other.

[HeadShots]

the problem with ZZ is not if but when he lands.... how will JP's chin hold up. it's a short left straight from a 20 stone man

[juggernaut666]

Then Parker can stick to it.

Seems Lee is the Oilskin Whisperer that Kevin Barry wasn't.

I trust Lee can make in game adjustments to Parker on the fly and adapt whereas Parker under Barry's tutelage was fairly limited and one dimensional, incapable of adopting a different game plan before, after or during a fight.

Parker's gonna need more than a few wrinkles to iron out Zhang.

I still think Zhangs gonna go out with a **** and won't last the distance.

Idk,right now I’d take Parker only bc of activity , I’m not sure it’ll be a great fight ? This could be a cautious one of a lot of posturing and clinching or explosive which is how I’d go about it if I was Parker get Zhang to move in all directions he’ll slow down be a pest do a Jerry Forrest and stay on him though Parker is more solid , Forrest was like Gumby and wouldn’t go anywhere Parker needs to avoid getting hit solid early, Forrest survived bc that’s how he fights he should have won that fight if Parker can get to mid rounds and avoid a Joyce like fight he should win .

[JakeTheBoxer]

I'm going to on a limb. If Fury and Usyk have 2 fights, the Saudis will pay for AJ vs Zhang. They aren't interested in the other guy.

I think you are right. even if Zhang loses to Parker, he will be offered to fight AJ, if Fury and Usyk fight twice.

[pollywog]

Idk,right now I’d take Parker only bc of activity , I’m not sure it’ll be a great fight ? This could be a cautious one of a lot of posturing and clinching or explosive which is how I’d go about it if I was Parker get Zhang to move in all directions he’ll slow down be a pest do a Jerry Forrest and stay on him though Parker is more solid , Forrest was like Gumby and wouldn’t go anywhere Parker needs to avoid getting hit solid early, Forrest survived bc that’s how he fights he should have won that fight if Parker can get to mid rounds and avoid a Joyce like fight he should win .

It doesn't have to be a great fight. It just has to clear the decks at the top and find a worthy successor/challenger to the champions.

Right now its these 2 guys; Parker and Zhang. They should be the main event, not A-Side Joshy and the new kid on the block.

Joshua should be fighting Hrgovic.

[juggernaut666]

It doesn't have to be a great fight. It just has to clear the decks at the top and find a worthy successor/challenger to the champions.

Right now its these 2 guys; Parker and Zhang. They should be the main event, not A-Side Joshy and the new kid on the block.

Joshua should be fighting Hrgovic.

Usyk has the titles not Hrgovic,why should he be fighting Hrgovic when no belt has been relinquished ?