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Vinny’s Views: Anthony Joshua Vs Joseph Parker – The Stats, The Facts & The Fight Prediction Is In!

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By Vinny “Glory Days” Lucci

March is about as good a heavyweight month as fans are going to see for some time to come. On the heels of WBC champion Deontay Wilder’s title defense over Luis Ortiz by 10th round TKO stoppage the drums are beating for a showdown with rival champion Anthony Joshua for bragging rights to be the king of the hill. First of course, Joshua must get past Joseph Parker in his quest to adding Parker’s WBO strap to his IBF and WBA collection. What appears on paper to be a unification match shapes up to be just another title defense for the British hulk as he crosses the last hurdle and pond to securing a bout with the highly popular Deontay Wilder.

The Event:

Anthony Joshua will put his IBF and WBA heavyweight titles on the line in a quest to acquire Joseph Parker’s WBO belt. The fight takes place on March 31st at Principality Stadium, Cardiff Wales. Eddie Hearn of Match Room Sports will be promoting the championship bout and it’s televised by Showtime Boxing.

The Stats:

Anthony Joshua stands an imposing 6’6” with an 82” reach. Of British heritage, Joshua is 28 years old and just about to enter his prime. Fighting from an orthodox stance he owns a stellar record of 20-0, 20 KO’s. He will be making the fifth defense.

Joseph Parker is a New Zealander who stands 6’4” with a 78” reach. At 26 years old, the orthodox boxer owns a questionable unblemished record of 24-0, 18 KO’s. Ringside Report is of the mindset that Parker has been on the favorable end of a few gift decisions.

Previous Fight:

Joshua fought a workman like day at the office in his forth defense walking down highly capable Carlos Takam by 10th round TKO. The challenger exhibited his skill set keeping Joshua honest and hardworking making for an entertaining match. The bout was held on October 28, 2017 in Wales.

Parker made his second defense against Hughie Fury and was lucky to escape with hit title by majority decision. The fight exposed Joseph’s shortcomings as a boxer as he was constantly beaten to the punch by a challenger who was moving backwards with his guard down throughout the bout. Parker’s inability to throw meaningful leather lead to many ugly bull rushes where he came forward head first rather than positioning himself into the pocket. Once inside, the clinches were ugly as Parker led with his forehead and chin where media were taking notes that he was a sucker for the uppercut. There is an old axiom in boxing, “you’re only as good as your last fight,” which weighs heavily in the way odds makers have calibrated this match up. The bout was held on September 23, 2017 in Manchester.

Styles:

Joshua’s body looks like it was carved from marble and makes former champion Mike Weaver look like a middleweight. His one glaring problem is he sometimes appears so muscle-bound he is stiff and it affects his hand speed. Not robotic, he technically has a very sound defense where he holds his guard high and boxes patiently behind a jab. With a perfect KO ratio it’s hard to argue his power with anyone. His stamina and chin have been questioned in the past especially in his “fight of year” clash with former champion Wlad Klitschko, where both fighters tasted the canvas. Joshua passed his baptism under fire and seemed to have corrected his faults against Takam.
Parker is a stand up brawler who has limited boxing skills and reminds me of the European heavyweight champions of the 80’s where they garnished enough wins against local talent, but failed miserably when matched with a legitimate belt holder. Parker comes forward with little head movement looking to place a one/two combo before falling into a clinch. He rarely displays a left hook, uppercut, or anything resembling an erstwhile combination. Against suspect competition, his power is quite ordinary.

What to look for fight night:

Both fighters like to walk their man down which plays right into the hands of Joshua. If after one round we witness Parker in retreat or in lateral conference you’ll know he tasted Anthony’s power early. Parker is more mobile than Joshua but lacks the skills and imagination to make up for power differential. Entering the pocket head first, with his chin exposed, rather than jabbing for position, will be costly. Joshua has a mean uppercut and throws his weight behind his entire arsenal.

Odds:

Vegas has deemed Joshua a 1/20 favorite, or more easily understood Parker is a 9/1 underdog.

The Vinny Factor:

Since Parker has not yet been knocked out; it is not known if that feat is possible. Considering his level of competition, his resume may have benefited greatly by not having tangled with the heavier punchers in division. In this bout his chin will be tested often, and with a four inch disparity in wingspan Joshua won’t have to reach for his adversary. In actuality, all four previous Joshua title defenses would be favored to beat Joseph Parker. (Dominic Breazeale, Eric Molina, Wlad Klitschko, and Carlos Takam.) Joshua fights best when he lets his hands go and Parker will provide the opportunities to provide the fans the action they seek.

Prediction:

Joshua by S.O.S. (Stoppage or Scorecards.) I would be hard pressed to envision Parker hearing the score cards read. Joshua has proven the ability to rise to every occasion and find a way of bringing his opponent down.

Stay tuned…

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