AJ vs Parker

A lot of activity saying it's a done deal.

Not buzzing for it but a unification fight so all good and one more obstacle out of the way to make the Wilder fight.

IMO, AJ isn't as good as most (not necessarily on here but general public/casual fans) think and Parker is slightly better than he's shown to date.

Still have AJ winning fairly comfortably.  AJ hasn't got huge one punch power and not sure how Parker's chin is so not sure of outcome but either late TKO or points for AJ.

How do you see it playing out?

I am surprised that you think that Joshua doesn't have one punch power. I am sure that Wlad would disagree. As would his other 19 victims. Granted a lot of his opponents were cannon fodder but he times his opponents extremely well. Once he times the shot, most will fall over.

Parker does not impress me. He definitely doesn't have one punch power and his only half decent opposition has been a disinterested Dimitrenko, the hugely overrated Andy Ruiz and a defence obsessed Hughie Fury. He was poor in all of those fights.

I think Parker's only chance is to try and use AJ's stamina against him and try to knock him out in the late rounds. We also don't know how Parker takes a BIG punch. I doubt he has a McCall-esque chin.

Joshua by mid rounds KO. I see this going much like the Whyte fight.

He certainly has good power but think it's more accumulation than one punch that takes decent level opposition out. Wlad got hit with lots of big shots and it was an accumulation that stopped the fight via TKO

For example, I think his power doesn't compare to a Lewis, Tyson, Tua, Foreman and in fact Wlad who have shown what I describe as one-punch KO power.

Agree that Parker isn't great, just not completely useless as some say. I agree, he needs to try and see the fight play into the latter rounds for a chance of pulling off an upset.

Confirmed - March 31st - Joshua v Parker - Cardiff

Just John wrote:Confirmed - March 31st - Joshua v Parker - Cardiff

Oooooh...just down the road from me if I am not working away by then. I could still come back for that weekend anyway

Washing my hair that night though

Though Joshua didn't look great against Takem he still looked better than Parker did. I doubt that Parker can punch as hard as Wlad did when he put Joshua down in their fight and Joshua got up to win the fight so I'm going for a stoppage win for Joshua.

Parker will lose

If Whyte can get Joshua wobbling then Parker can. Joshua isn’t exactly granite so Parker always has a punchers chance. And if he can soak up Joshua a few rounds he might just get that chance. Big IF though.

Valero's Conscience wrote:He certainly has good power but think it's more accumulation than one punch that takes decent level opposition out.  Wlad got hit with lots of big shots and it was an accumulation that stopped the fight via TKO

For example, I think his power doesn't compare to a Lewis, Tyson, Tua, Foreman and in fact Wlad who have shown what I describe as one-punch KO power.

Agree that Parker isn't great, just not completely useless as some say.  I agree, he needs to try and see the fight play into the latter rounds for a chance of pulling off an upset.

I don’t like Joshua mostly due to the hype machine that surrounds him and his boring media trained interviews. But I don’t think you can question his power. One punch knockouts aren’t as common as you may think. Most KOs are accumulation including the punchers you mentioned. Joshua undoubtedly has very good power and in my view is his biggest asset.

Joshua is vulnerable, but I am not sure Parker is one to exploit them. Good fight for unification. Expect Joshua to wear Parker down to TKO

Surely Parker is the very definition of a paper champion... picked up a vacant title (the least regarded of the major belts), by beating a guy who's never fought anyone else I've even heard of. If Joshua can't beat him, then it makes a mockery of the division!

You could say the same for Charles Martin. You’re probably right but Parker has his shot, let’s see what he can do. AJ is a splattering waiting to happen IMO and I wouldn’t be massively surprised if Parker beat him.

I don't think there has been any doubts that Joshua has won all of his fights up to now even though his fight with Takem was stopped a tad early there was no doubt that Joshua was the winner. Not like some of Parker's recent fights, he was lucky to get the nod against Ruiz and Takem and the way he shied away from Fury who has a poor knockout record doesn't bode well against a heavy punching Joshua.

melv500 wrote:You could say the same for Charles Martin.

Indeed you could! I think both Martin and Parker were in the right place at the right time to pick up a vacant belt, in the aftermath of Fury's meltdown. Only difference is that Parker has had a few defences (against relative nobodies) before facing Joshua.

Price to fight Povetkin on the undercard apparently

How do we all see this one going? Is it a formality, or can Parker raise his game as he steps up in class? I am very intrigued by this one. Two young, tough, hungry world champions. It has all the ingredients to be a great matchup.

Well I'm putting money on Parker. I'm not convinced he'll win but AJ is too heavy a favourite to back considering he has suspect stamina and can be rocked. He's looking trimmer which is great and should mean he's a bit looser and can last longer in theory. I won on underdogs Groves, lost on Browne... although I put my small bet on before I realised he'd been deep fat fried, didn't stick on Ortiz in the end but thought the odds looked good, Parker is 18/1 for a second half stoppage. I'll probably put a tenner on that just because Parker may have the chin and movement to last it out and AJ could still tire. Fancy AJ all being equal though.

Interesting Duran I think I’ll wait until the weigh in until I put a bet on. Can’t see any value in any AJ bet but if he comes in heavy and Parker light then a second half stoppage to Parker at 18-1 or similar looks good value. Of course whatever the weights AJ is the clear favourite but he’s been badly hurt twice now and looked like gassing last time out so he’s going to come unstuck at some point.

I don't think Joshua is chinny as such but it's not an iron chin. I am glad he's going lighter as I don't believe that heavyweights should be either heavily chiselled mountains of muscle nor blubbery balls of lard. Hate to say it but Wilder has a better boxing frame, despite his thin legs. Povertkin v Price is equally enticing as the odds are so heavily favoured to Povetkin it's not worth betting on him, even though he should win without an issues. I have a rule that I never bet big on a guy going in against a big hitter but it's often worth betting small on a big underdog that hits big. I'll stick a small amount on Price early as if he does catch Povetkin he definitely can take him out. AJ and Povertkin should win but even if you combined them for the win you’d get about £2 back off a £10 bet. In contrast, if you doubled up a £10 bet on both Price and Parker to win you'd get £600 back, although for both to prevail is very unlikely. Too many question on AJ's stamina and too much power in Price's hands to bet big on this one.

Duran - 18/1 for a second half stoppage for Parker looks incredible value. I'd be tempted with that. I wonder how much this ongoing elbow problem he had really hampered him, Kevin Barry has been playing that up but not sure how much we can take from that.

Price vs Povetkin is going to be uncomfortable viewing. Price has looked like a deer in the headlights in the past, gassing with nervous energy very early. Will be surprised if we even hear the bell for the start of the 4th.

I have a feeling that this fight will be stopped because Parker gets a bad cut. There's much being made about about his chin, and I think that AJ will utilise the jab and bust up Parker's face instead of going for the KO. This might be similar to Lewis vs Mason.

Both are looking lean so I don't think stamina will be too much of an issue.

Joshua fights always exciting with that hint of vulnerability this one could go either way never seen him fight in all honesty but a lot of experts saying Parker can fight can crack with a good chin Joshua will be in front of him less elusive than Hughie Fury. Never been in with a hitter like Joshua mind

Joshua looking so much better leaner less bulky

Genuinely looking forward to the weigh in. Be interesting to see if AJ has cut down the weight, looks like he may have but let’s see the today. Parker looked very lean at the presser and surely his best chance is punching faster than a bulky AJ who could gas. Today should give us a good indication how the fight will go.

Joshua 242.25 and Parker 236.5. Both fighters have come in lighter. Should be a good fight.

Both much lighter. Good to see they have both clearly taken the fight very serious and put the gym work in.

I’m finding it hard to make a case for Parker now. His movement and hand speed are good however seeing Joshua’s weight it may be hard to use that advantage. Joshua does leave himself open when he misses so Parker should try and make him do that then let several fast punches go and try to take him out. Not sure he can do that though so going Joshua late KO. Hope Parker wins though, said many times why I don’t like Joshua so won’t bore you all again with it.

Was it Dominic Breazeale who had the best chin of all the fighters that Joshua has so far faced?  I seem to recall that Breazeale's defences were poor and Joshua using his face as a punch bag before ultimately losing through some sort of punch-bag fatigue.  

If Joseph Parker has an even better chin with good defensive skills then maybe he will be the first opponent who could potentially and possibly likely last the twelve rounds.  Presumably he will then be looking to harm Joshua in the later rounds.  Many boxers and analysts have suggested that looks to be the best way to beat Joshua, that his chin is just a little suspect, that Joshua can be rocked, that he finds it difficult stamina wise in the later rounds.

All my money is going on Parker. Some on a KO and some on points

I'll probably lose but here's hoping Joshua turns out to be the most disappointed Englishman in Cardiff since Stuart Lancaster in 2013

Steffan wrote:All my money is going on Parker. Some on a KO and some on points

I'll probably lose but here's hoping Joshua turns out to be the most disappointed Englishman in Cardiff since Stuart Lancaster in 2013

You could be right as Kiwis always win very easily in Cardiff.

melv500 wrote:

Steffan wrote:All my money is going on Parker. Some on a KO and some on points

I'll probably lose but here's hoping Joshua turns out to be the most disappointed Englishman in Cardiff since Stuart Lancaster in 2013

You could be right as Kiwis always win very easily in Cardiff.

Agreed. Let's hope so on this occasion

Should be a good match imo, like most I see AJ winning but not before some very tricky moments.

I am hopeful David Price can put on a decent showing and at least make it competitive.

Feel for Ryan Burnett, as talented a fighter we have in the UK, barely a mention anywhere.

I don't think it is £20 worth of action, wait for You Tube (I am sure other options are available) on Sunday morning.

Joshua inside the first 4 rounds, Parker is awful. He needed points to beat Hughie Fury and he’s euro level at best. Sky have done an amazing job of hyping this fight - his elbow is better, Parker is undefeated, it’s a unification.

The reality is he’s pretty average and Joshua takes him out when he wants.

Would be grateful for a decent link if anyone’s got one?

Thought the Price v Povetkin could be good. Knockdown apiece, so far.

Price jaw explodes

Game over

Whyte wants Povetkin

I only have live text from the BBC - I can't find a radio station that is broadcasting this.

Well maybe Price should retire - it's too dangerous a sport to be in when you don't have the chin for it or don't have the technique to lessen the blow when the punch is on its way.

No name Bertie wrote:I only have live text from the BBC - I can't find a radio station that is broadcasting this.

Well maybe Price should retire - it's too dangerous a sport to be in when you don't have the chin for it or don't have the technique to lessen the blow when the punch is on its way.

Talksport is the radio station covering this one.

Price didn't do enough. Shame as he could have taken him. Povetkin is a shadow of his former self and looked exhausted.

Whyte could well take him based on that showing.

Thanks - I've just managed to get a link to it over the internet.

God, this build-up is so tedious and strung out.

Cagey, relatively uneventful fight after four

... build up tedious, fight tedious... rescued only by the sublime insight of Carl Froch.

Parker going for the body, Joshua going for the head.

Joshua getting caught and getting wobbled.

Joshua cruising after four rounds, even in spite of his slow, ponderous jab.

Parker's got right back in it in the last two.

It looks like Parker is more in control of the fight than Joshua.

It seems that the referee is not allowing close up fighting - Joshua caught Klitschko with an upper cut that effectively ended the fight, but this referee is not having any close up work - he keeps stepping in to separate them.

This ref is abysmal

If it wasnt for Pryce getting discombobulated, this would be a waste of a night (Nothing against Pryce, it was just the highlight). Expect AJ to win a relatively close decision here.

There was a clash of heads and now Parker has a cut.

Looks like Parker has slowed down and Joshua should win this on points. Parker is still dangerous.