Deontay Wilder vs Joseph Parker full fight breakdown
Former world champions Deontay Wilder (43-2-1, 42KO) and Joseph Parker (33-3, 23KO) will clash in a 12-round heavyweight tussle on Saturday, December 23, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Although many fans were disappointed not to see the Anthony Joshua vs Deontay Wilder fight announced, this should still be a good matchup; one with a few variables to make it intriguing.
Both boxers have three blemishes on their record – Wilder has two knockout defeats and a draw, while Parker has two points and a single KO loss.
They are each former world champions – Parker held the WBO bauble between 2016-2018 and Wilder matched Muhammad Ali’s record with 10 WBC World heavyweight title defences from 2015 to 2020.
Wilder is the heavy favourite, but Parker is a close friend, teammate, and regular sparring partner of Tyson Fury’s, who is the only man to beat Wilder.
Training in Morecombe with Andy Lee, Fury and his team are on hand to provide the blueprint to the New Zealander and help him prepare for what will be his fourth fight of the year, which is another advantage the 31-year-old has – Wilder hasn’t fought in 14 months.
So, despite the American being the heavy favourite, there are a few small gains for the underdog from Down Under to take into this battle.
Parker is known for being a mover and will be expected to go on the backfoot in this contest. He has a good punch variety, very experienced, calm under pressure, with a tough chin and plenty of heart.
He lost his first fight and WBO belt to Anthony Joshua in 2018, then lost again to Dillian Whyte later in the same year – both times by unanimous decision. Since then, he has won nine from 10 bouts.
His 11th round knockout defeat to Joe Joyce last year saw him suffer under an increasing amount of pressure that intensified eve further when he was cut above his right eye in the seventh, but took the relentless Joyce another five rounds to find that fight-ending blow, which downed the Kiwi heavily when it landed, but he still bravely got back up again.
His best wins in recent times came in 2021 against Derek Chisora in a close battle that ended in a split decision after Parker was knocked down in the first; then he dominated the rerun later in the year, hurting Delboy several times, to win by UD.
The explosive, rangy, snappy-punching Wilder has knocked down every single opponent he has ever faced and holds the record for KO-to-win ratios in world heavyweight history.
He began boxing late, but still managed to win the Golden Gloves, U.S. National Championship and a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics. Despite these accolades, he doesn’t receive the credit he deserves, for two different reasons.
Firstly, his technique and style of boxing isn’t pure or highly technical, rather it’s erratic and wild. Secondly, he is widely degraded for never beating an elite fighter.
Against the only elite opponent he has fought – Tyson Fury – his record stands at two defeats and a fortuitous draw.
One thing fans do respect ‘The Bronze Bomber’ for is his punching prowess. Regardless of his lack of ability, he is vicious and pernicious, always able land his swift shots, which have been likened to being hit by bullets. Even though Fury has the bragging rights over him, the 38-year-old knocked ‘The Gypsy King’ down four times during their epic trilogy. Putting aside the one-sided rematch, Fury went down twice over 12 rounds in the first fight, then twice more in the fourth round of the trilogy.
Wilder has the power, but Parker has the boxing ability, but can he outbox the American like his close friend and colleague did without getting decked for the full 12 rounds?
Betting Odds
1/5 Wilder
9/2 Parker
40/1 Draw
Predictions
It’s not if, it’s when will Wilder land.
Against Fury, ‘The Bronze Bomber’ landed close to 180 punches over 30 rounds, which equates to six shots per round.
Parker may work closely with Fury, but he isn’t as good as him, so he could expect to absorb even more punishment than that. Whatever data Fury and Andy Lee are feeding him, I’m sure it will help, for a while, but he will need more than just inside intel to last a full 36 minutes against a destructive, proven puncher like Wilder.
Taking half a dozen punches per round from a fearsome KO artist will take its toll. It took Joyce over half an hour, but Wilder is expected to see it through in quicker time.
I believe Wilder will be calm and relaxed, with an inner confidence that Parker isn’t a big puncher or highly aggressive to cause him too many problems.
Wilder is dangerous from the first bell to the last, but taking into account Parker’s experience, ability, chin, and knowledge, I believe he will have a few rounds in him before the real threat catches up.
I predict Wilder to win by knockout in rounds 3-6.
