The heavyweight division is currently in the midst of a resurgence. Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder have been getting all the credit for the rise, but there's a fighter across the Pacific who's made a splash of his own.
His name is Joseph Parker and he is the former WBO heavyweight championship and will return on Saturday, July 28 against Dillian Whyte from the O2 Arena in London.
The 26-year-old New Zealand native has 25 career fights and looks to make history as he enters the biggest contest of his career.
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Joseph Parker career record
Joseph Parker is 24-1 with 18 wins coming by way of knockout.
Joseph Parker past five fights
Parker vs. Anthony Joshua
Date: Mar. 31, 2018
Result: Joshua wins via unanimous decision.
Summary: Parker had been expected to be the toughest foe during Joshua's title reign and forced him go all 12 rounds for the first time in his professional career.
In the early rounds, Parker gave Joshua fits by using his movement and speed to make Joshua miss while keeping him at bay with the jab.
But when it mattered most in the championship rounds, Joshua showed why he is the best heavyweight in the world. He displayed the very boxing ability that earned him a gold medal in the 2012 Olympics by biting down on his mouthpiece and using his technical ability to earn the decision victory. Recognizing that Parker was there for the long haul, Joshua utilized the jab and a left hand, which caught Parker on more than one occasion, to help him add the WBO belt to his trophy case and retain his undefeated record.
Parker vs. Hughie Fury
Date: Sept. 23, 2017
Result: Parker wins by majority decision
Summary: The fight was delayed twice due to Fury being hesitant on traveling to New Zealand.
Fury made things difficult for Parker, using lateral movement and keeping Parker at a distance with using his jab.
Parker showed his championship mettle in the later rounds by stepping up his output and was stronger when it mattered most. It wasn't the most impressive performance: it was one that Joshua and his team looked at and felt Parker was ripe for the picking.
Parker vs. Răzvan Cojanu
Date: May 6, 2017
Result: Parker wins by unanimous decision
Summary: Cojanu stepped in on 11 days notice due to Hughie Fury bowing out of the fight.
In his first title defense, Parker fought smart: since his opponent took the bout on short notice, body shots were the name of the game. That strategy paved Parker's path to victory.
He landed body blows at will, forcing Cojanu to box conservatively. Cojanu felt it wise to taunt Parker instead of attempting to win the championship.
Parker vs. Andy Ruiz
Date: Dec. 10, 2016
Result: Parker wins by majority decision, captures vacant WBO heavyweight title
Summary: With the WBO heavyweight belt on the line — Tyson Fury dropped the strap due to personal issues — this was the fight in which Parker gained recognition.
The fight could have went either way; Ruiz was the aggressor in the first half of the bout while Parker came on in the latter stages. Parker connected on a series of hard combinations which seemed to sway the judges' decision. Many boxing experts felt Ruiz had done enough to win the fight.
Parker got the decision, capturing the first title of his career. He also holds the prestige of being the first boxer from New Zealand to win a belt.
Parker vs. Alexander Dimitrenko
Date: Oct. 1, 2016
Result: Parker wins by third-round knockout
Summary: Heading into the bout, Dimitrenko had been described a test to see if Parker would be ready for an proposed fight against Joshua.
He passed with flying colors, knocking down Dimitrenko in the first round. Then in the second round, Parker used his power and speed advantage to knock Dimitrenko twice.
Parker put Dimitrenko out of his misery in the third round and cemented himself as a contender for a heavyweight title.
Steven Muehlhausen is an MMA and boxing writer and contributor for Sporting News. You can email him at [email protected] and can find him on Twitter @SMuehlhausenMMA .
