Joseph Parker has no hesitation in stepping into the heat. The former WBO heavyweight champion laughed off claims at today’s press conference that facing Fabio Wardley was akin to “walking towards fire.”
“Walking towards the fire? I love the fire,” Parker said. “I’ve fought a lot of big punchers and they haven’t been able to get me out of there, so credit to Fabio Wardley for taking this fight. We could have sat and waited for Usyk, but we’re showing that we’ll fight anyone, anytime. I think this is going to be a great fight.”
The first words: Watch
Parker has fought the likes of Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang and Martin Bakole, making him one of the division’s most battle-tested contenders. He insists that his experience, durability and boxing brain will be decisive when he meets Wardley on October 25 at London’s O2 Arena.
Wardley enters the fight as one of Britain’s most dangerous finishers. His late knockout of Justis Huni this summer proved his power can turn a fight around at any moment. Yet Parker warns that he offers a different challenge: “There are levels in boxing, and I believe with the experience I have, I’m ready to show it in the ring.”
Image Credit: Queensberry Promotions