It remains to be seen how the 6-foot-2-inch Parker will do against hard-hitting behemoths like Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder?
Saturday night at the Vector Arena in Auckland, New Zealand, Joseph Parker (22-0, 18 KOs), fighting in front of his hometown fans, won a majority decision over Andy Ruiz Jr. (29-1, 19 KOs), from Imperial, California, to win the vacant WBO World heavyweight world.
The final scores were 115-113 twice and 114-114, close enough that it could have gone either way.
Parker fought as Parker fights. He used his legs. He used his speed. He boxed and did enough to eke out the win.
With the kill or be killed mentality pervading the sport, Parker will never be a fan favorite away from his native New Zealand. But Parker is smart enough to do what he does best, which includes not engaging if it can be avoided, and Ruiz, who tipped the scales at 256 pounds, could be avoided, especially when he abandoned boxing and began looking for a knockout.
?Wow!? said Parker after the fight. ?What a dream come true. We told you guys Andy Ruiz was a great fighter, with a lot of speed and a lot power. He showed that tonight.?
Few would describe Ruiz as a ?great fighter.? He moves exceptionally well for a big man and came into the fight as NABF heavyweight champion, but had not been tested before tonight and came close to winning the fight.
?I think I got the win,? Ruiz said. ?We both did a good job. We both fought. Congratulations to Joseph Parker.?
?I think I had the pace by throwing the jab to the body and the face,? he added. ?We both did a great job?Hopefully I?ll come back and maybe we?ll get the rematch.?
With the heavyweight titles splintered due to Tyson Fury?s meltdown and the IBF?s meddling, it remains to be seen how the 6-foot-2-inch Parker will do against hard-hitting titleholders like Anthony Joshua (IBF), Deontay Wilder (WBC), or top ranked contenders like David Haye or Luis Ortiz. But he has a belt. Hopefully he?ll defend it against worthy opponents and try to unify, however futile that might be against the behemoths in the division.
