IBF/WBA champion Anthony Joshua outpointed WBO champion Joseph Parker to unify three of the four major heavyweight titles?
Saturday night at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, IBF/WBA heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (21-0, 20 KOs), the young gun from Watford, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, outpointed WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker (24-1, 18 KOs), the Samoan marksman from Auckland, New Zealand, after 12 tactical rounds to unify three of the four major heavyweight titles.
The final scores were 119-109 and 118-110 twice.
Fighting out of the blue corner in white trunks, Joshua was in control throughout the bout. He was never in trouble. He was never hurt. He was never inspiring. He exerted a minimal amount of effort for a maximum amount of effect.
Parker, fighting out of the red corner in white with black trim, succeeded in foiling most of Joshua?s vaunted offense. But a good defense alone doesn?t win fights, especially when it?s not supported by meaningful punches.
Joshua drew first blood in round 10 when an errant elbow caught Parker?s eye. It added color to the proceedings, but the fight was a long over, even though the championship rounds were still to come.
The new unified champion didn?t embarrass himself. It was an acceptable performance. But if we lavish unacceptable praise on merely acceptable performances, it won?t be long before we don?t know the difference.
Every heavyweight fight from here on out is a precursor to the bout between Joshua and Deontay Wilder, which will be in 2019 if all goes according to plan. That?s a fight everyone wants to see and if I?m not mistaken, Wilder will destroy him.
To the glass half empty crowd who believe Joshua had a bad night, he said this to Sky Sports after the fight: ?I am not going to judge my performance. That?s for my coach to do. My strategy was to get behind the jab and we did that. The good jab will take you around the world.
?This was about boxing finesse?I stuck to my word. I know what it takes to be a champion. Joseph Parker said he wanted a war, but it was all about boxing finesse. The main thing we cannot forget is that I am the unified heavyweight champion of the world.?
There?s no forgetting that?and it speaks volumes.
?My strategy was to stick behind the jab. I was switched on and I was focused.
?Twelve rounds baby, it was hard. This is boxing, this is what we do. Forget the hype.?
