Joseph Parker – Joe Joyce. Assessing Usyk’s possible opponent

On the night of September 25 in Manchester at the Manchester Arena, New Zealand boxer Joseph Parker (30-2-0, 21 KOs) and British fighter Joe Joyce (14-0, 13 KOs) will challenge the status of a mandatory challenger according to the WBO and the interim title of the organization in the heavyweight division. The winner of the fight will get a chance to fight for the belt with Oleksandr Usyk.

Parker is a very underrated heavyweight

Yes, as strange as it may sound. The New Zealander is a well-trained technically, well-trained physically and well versed in the tactical intricacies of boxing. He is also a very experienced boxer with a 10-year career in professional boxing, 32 pro fights, top division fights and four championship fights. And also – the title of world champion.

But, Parker’s main advantage is his age. Joseph is only 30 years old (Usyk, for example, is 35, Joshua is 32, Tyson Fury is 33). The New Zealander won the championship title at the age of 24. Yes, in many ways, it’s a coincidence, in the current turmoil in the heavyweight division after the Gypsy King’s depression, but nonetheless.

Moreover, Parker did not hide from dangerous rivals, accepted almost all the challenges and has already managed to deal with Andy Ruiz, Derek Chisora, Carlos Takam, Dillian Whyte and Anthony Joshua. The last two – lost on points. The first – in a very competitive and close fight. The second one is devastating. But not a single boxer managed to beat Parker ahead of schedule.

Given the New Zealander’s age, his already considerable experience, and the situation with the possible retirement of Fury and Usyk, Parker could become the first number in the division. We said about the strength of the chin and the character of Joseph, in terms of technical equipment he was head and shoulders above Wilder, in experience – Dubois and other prospects. As for Joshua, to whom Parker lost, the New Zealander knows how to learn, change and, I think, will draw conclusions from defeat. And mentally, the New Zealander is superior to the British.

Fight with Parker is a chance for Joyce

The 37-year-old Briton turned pro late – he has been boxing at this level for only five years. Given his age, Joyce is really pressed for time. It is not yet considered, perhaps in vain, among the top division, although it has long been in the top 10 rating of all organizations. While Fury, Usyk, Joshua, Wilder are busy squabbling among themselves, Joyce is not in for a big title fight. And if so, we must cling to at least a secondary belt in the current situation.

Joyce has already taken advantage of one chance, knocking out the much more highly rated Daniel Dubois in an unsuccessful duel for himself. However, the non-randomness of this victory (we mean a knockout) is proved by two further early wins by Joe – from the already mentioned Takam and Christian Hammer. Yes, Stivern, Ustinov, Kiladze finished their fights with the Briton ahead of time. In principle, only Jennings, who once got close to the tops, managed to survive all 12 rounds with Joyce.

What shines for Parker and what Joyce counts on

Joe Joyce is physical power and strength. A concrete chin and powerful blows from two hands allowed the Briton to deal with his opponents. So far it has worked and, admittedly, it has worked successfully. Joyce was only given trouble by fighters whose technique, speed and mindset allowed them to calculate the British’s attacks and avoid his powerful but easily readable attacks at this level.

Parker has all these qualities. He is better than Joyce as a boxer in terms of technique, speed, timing and coordination. He has more experience. Before the fight, it seems that the New Zealander will easily find holes in the Brit’s far from ideal defense. The only thing that confuses is the physical strength of Joseph.

He loses to Jloys in both anthropometry and punching power. Of course, what a well-trained boxer can do with a powerful, but not too savvy fighter, we saw in the example of two fights between Usyk and Joshua. But the thing is that Parker is not Usyk, if there is a fighter now who can compare with the Ukrainian. And can the New Zealander fulfill Usyk’s goal of scoring points by taking round after round against a boxer whose one punch could end the fight? If he succeeds, it will be just right to talk about a really new real competitor for Usyk.