Comments Thread For: The punter-come-opponent: Fabio Wardley's seven-year path to Joseph Parker

[BoxingUpdates]

Fabio Wardley sat at The Plough on Dog?s Head Street in Ipswich, beer in hand, watching Joseph Parker lose his WBO heavyweight title to Anthony Joshua
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[pollywog]

Parker won his first world title in 2016. In 2016, I was still fighting as a white-collar boxer...

Based off that, I think I'm gonna go with the Samoan ex champ who's been boxing since age 10 and has had a vintage run through a veritable murderers row in his last few fights.

I doubt Parker will get loose and clipped by a Wardley cannon, like Huni was, and if he comes with the same focus and conditioning as he had for the Dubois duckfest, Fabio won't make the count, like Bakole didn't.

It's essentially the mighty Oilskin's fight to lose, but given what's at stake and with the focus and discipline he's shown to get within sniffing distance of another title shot, I can't see him losing.

[SteveM]

Based off that, I think I'm gonna go with the Samoan ex champ who's been boxing since age 10 and has had a vintage run through a veritable murderers row in his last few fights.

I doubt Parker will get loose and clipped by a Wardley cannon, like Huni was, and if he comes with the same focus and conditioning as he had for the Dubois duckfest, Fabio won't make the count, like Bakole didn't.

It's essentially the mighty Oilskin's fight to lose, but given what's at stake and with the focus and discipline he's shown to get within sniffing distance of another title shot, I can't see him losing.

You must be Parker's biggest fan on these boards and there's something to be said for that. But you're hardly an impartial observer. Do you ever metaphorically step back for a moment and take the other (or just another) point of view?

To me, Parker's wins over a "murderer's row" of opponents all have asterisks against them. Yeah, on paper, sure, looks good. But imo Wilder was and is shot - he got beaten senseless twice by Fury and he just couldn't pull the trigger as he was afraid of getting hit. Bakole came in on 2 days notice and about, what? 10 hours sleep max in 48 hours and and 18 hour journey to get to Riyahd? Apart from being repeatedly KO'd in sparring it's hard to imagine a worse preparation for a fight. The Zhang win is the most legitimate but it could be argued that apart from his obvious age he was past his peak - which seems ridiculous when we are discussing a 41yo - and has a reputation for gassing badly in later rounds.

Having said all that, Joseph Parker is a likeable character and the blueprint for beating Wardley has been set down by Huni. Parker should win this and it'll be a win without too much of an asterisk assuming it's not given due to poor scorecards. On the other hand we've seen that quick powerful hands are Parker's kryptonite - so, again, Wardley is in with a puncher's chance.

[pollywog]

On the other hand we've seen that quick powerful hands are Parker's kryptonite - so, again, Wardley is in with a puncher's chance.

His losses to Joshua with a refs help, Whyte with a headbutt and Joyce with his glacial thumping hardly speaks to Parker's kryptonite being quick hands and power.

Wins with asterisks are still hard fought wins against fighters most everyone else was ducking.

[CPNUTKnockoutFreshMart]

I have to root for the underdog here . Wardley shouldn't win , but that's why they fight the fights. Ya never know. Wardley showed a lot of character in the fight against Huni . Bombs away Fabio !!

[keith_head]

Parker should be favourite on paper but frankly I do have strong reasons to suspect Wardley will pull off the victory.

Parker has always struggled with high volume pressure fighters who could keep up with him physically. It's very frustrating because Parker should be physically intimidating but he doesn't really know how to use his size and is too focused on boxing when he should be fighting and trying to beat people up physically. If he learned some better inside fighting and some basic grappling this would be very beneficial to him IMO. There were signs of this in the Bakole fight so maybe he has learned a bit.

He will of course find Wardley easy to hit but will that be enough to keep him from being physically overwhelmed? We will see.

[pollywog]

Parker should be physically intimidating but he doesn't really know how to use his size and is too focused on boxing when he should be fighting and trying to beat people up physically.

Will that be enough to keep him from being physically overwhelmed ?

The Parker that Dubois ducked and beat up on Bakole is that guy.

And he's never been physically overwhelmed.

[keith_head]

The Parker that Dubois ducked and beat up on Bakole is that guy.

And he's never been physically overwhelmed.

Joyce overwhelmed him, arguably Whyte did in spots too. Both guys with far inferior boxing skills to Parker himself.

Wardley arguably has less pedigree than both those guys but the heavyweight division is where physicality and power matters most.

This is not a Zhang or a Wilder or a Ruiz, low output power puncher guys who can't keep up pressure over 12 rounds. Again, Wardley arguably is not on those guys' level but all that matters is what happens on the night.

Parker should win but at this stage of his career I would not count out the younger fresher more powerful guy taking him out.

[pollywog]

Joyce overwhelmed him, arguably Whyte did in spots too.

Maybe there's a case for Joyce as Parker coming in sick was running on fumes after the first few rounds, but Whyte...nope.

Parker was fighting through a headbutt concussion for the middle rounds and had the ref not saved Whyte in the final round he was going nighty night.

[keith_head]

Maybe there's a case for Joyce as Parker coming in sick was running on fumes after the first few rounds, but Whyte...nope.

Parker was fighting through a headbutt concussion for the middle rounds and had the ref not saved Whyte in the final round he was going nighty night.

**** happens in boxing. I don't expect Fabio will be fighting a clean fight.

We will see. It's a very interesting fight.