The stage is set for a heavyweight (200+ lbs) clash between New Zealand WBO interim champion Joseph Parker (36-3, 24 KO’s) and British contender Fabio Wardley (19-0-1, 18 KO’s) who will be fighting on Saturday, October 25.
With one of the biggest venues in the UK ― the O2 Arena ― set to host the heavyweight bout, a clash with undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk (24-0, 15 KO’s) possibly awaits the winner after the WBO confirmed earlier this month that they would mandate a match between the eventual WBO interim champion and Usyk.
The upcoming fight not only pits Fabio Wardley against a former world champion in Joseph Parker, but an interim champion that has gone on a hot streak since incurring his third career loss to Joe Joyce in 2022. With wins over prevalent fighters such as Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang, Parker has the skills and experience to oversee a statement win over the Brit.
However, Wardley is no slouch himself.
Even after a dubious contest against Australian Justis Huni ― who had been winning on the scorecards prior to Wardley’s knockout victory, Wardley clearly has knockout power that can potentially take out any heavyweight.
Joseph Parker, despite his pedigree, has shown leaks in his defense with last year’s bout against Zhang seeing the New Zealand fighter get dropped twice. With Wardley being faster than Zhang, Parker’s defense will have to be at the top of its game to ensure a nasty surprise doesn’t await him.
For the most part, Wardley’s best chance is in the early half of the fight where his bombs can upset the odds yet Parker himself can be dangerous with his KO ratio of 66% suggesting Wardley’s own defensive shortcomings can be fatally exploited.
When it comes to skillset, particulary in the field of defense, Wardley is not exactly immune to being hit but does have a strong chin and a high amount of resilience. With Parker appearing to have reached his prime and having employed highly-successful strategies over his past couple of fights, there is also the danger of Wardley himself being caught in the crossfire and ending up on the canvas.
Whatever the result, the upcoming heavyweight bout is undoubtedly one of the more exciting matches to see in the heavyweight division as two very game and ready fighters prepare for a future clash with the undisputed champion of the division; Oleksandr Usyk.
