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Joseph Parker Vs Anthony Joshua Must Become a Reality Soon

parker-joshuaThe noble sport is awash with bouts that can be seen as a mere ‘passing of the torch’, as the world welcomes a new heavyweight hero – and gives a standing ovation to an aged legend bowing out in honorable defeat.

In 1980, Muhammad Ali, suffering from the early stages of Parkinson’s Disease, could do nothing to prevent Larry Holmes from retaining the WBC heavyweight title. Eight years later, it was Holmes’ turn to concede to old father time, suffering a knockout defeat to Mike Tyson. Then, albeit against an unprecedented back story, Evander Holyfield defeated Tyson in November 1996.

Now forty-one years old, Wladimir Klitschko is exactly where the late, great Ali found himself in 1980. On 29 April, he will fight Anthony Joshua, a man fourteen years his junior with a superior reach by one inch and a perfect record of 18-0 – all of which have come by way of knockout.

At face value, all Klitschko can realistically do is utilize every moment of his vaster experience, but his performance against Tyson Fury (in November 2015) betrayed a man with no more to give.
Where next for AJ?

At 2/5 on with Paddy Power boxing betting, anyone backing Anthony Joshua with their £30 free bet would be seriously wasting their time and money. It seems like a foregone conclusion that Joshua will add to his already Tyson-esque anthology of knockouts, but there are a few other fighters with the title in their sights, of which Joshua should be wary.

As the current WBO champion, complete with a 22-0 record, Joseph Parker is the obvious tip to be Joshua’s next comer.

The New Zealander was one of two fighters overlooked (in favor of Eric Molina) as Joshua’s IBF defense opponent in December 2016. In winning the WBO championship by a majority decision in his hometown of Auckland against Andy Ruiz, Parker did what fellow New Zealander David Tua – with his devastating knockout power – never could, and became the first man from that region to win a world heavyweight title.

The other man who lost out to Molina in the battle for a Christmas shot at Joshua was Kubrat Pulev. Currently 2nd and 3rd in (respectively) the IBF and WBC rankings, a defeat to none other than Klitschko in Hamburg on 15 November 2014 had done his eligibility no favours. Yet, Pulev’s current record remains impressive at 24-1, ahead of his upcoming bout with Kevin Johnson.

However, age is a key factor that could ultimately see Pulev miss his big chance to end the Joshua reign altogether. Now 35, time is running out for the Bulgarian ‘Cobra’.

Outsiders for Glory

Andy Ruiz and Carlos Takam remain in the frame for a shot at Joshua, but with both losing to Joseph Parker in previous bouts, their chances appear remote. Ranked 1st and 2nd (respectively) in the WBA and WBC rankings, Luis Ortiz may also be close to being considered in the mix.
Hughie Fury is another fighter in the frame, but he must beat Parker on 6 May, on hostile turf in Auckland, to have any immediate credentials.

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