Joseph Parker names his toughest opponent, and it's not Joshua, Wilder, or Zhang, surprising fans with his choice!
One punch can change everything in the world of heavyweight boxing. Joseph Parker, who is set to fight for the title against Daniel Dubois next, has faced all the best boxers. From trading blows with Anthony Joshua to surviving Deontay Wilder’s legendary right hand and, most recently, outboxing the massive Zhilei Zhang, Parker has built his career on taking on the scariest men in boxing.
The former WBO champion from New Zealand has been throwing hands with the elite since winning his first world title against Andy Ruiz back in 2016. Yet, sometimes, the biggest challenges come from unexpected places.
Fans might think getting through 12 rounds with Joshua’s precision or dodging Wilder’s nuclear right hand would top Parker’s list of toughest fights. But no. When asked on Carl Froch’s YouTube show about his most challenging opponent, Parker didn’t hesitate to name someone who was not even in the conversation.
Also Read: Michael Or Bruce: Which Buffer Brother Has The More Iconic Fight Introduction?
According to Parker, Joe Joyce, the fighter nicknamed ‘The Juggernaut’ was his hardest opponent. Joyce may not have the household name of Joshua or the highlight-reel knockouts of Wilder, but he brought something to their 2022 fight that Parker couldn’t handle – relentless pressure.
Parker opened up about that night with refreshing honesty, admitting he probably shouldn’t have even stepped into the ring. He was battling illness before the fight but decided to go ahead anyway, probably thinking Joe Joyce’s slower style would make for an easy night’s work. And that was a huge miscalculation!
“Joe Joyce. It wasn’t a great night for me, it was tough. Leading into the fight I got real sick. Very bad. I shouldn’t have fought. Mentally I thought I would smash this guy. Then after one round I thought damn, it’s not going by well. He’s not the fastest and doesn’t move the quickest. [I lost because of] The pressure and I wasn’t healthy. It was tough.”
The fight turned into a nightmare for Parker from the very first round. Joyce might not have won any awards for speed or graceful movement, but honestly, he earned his “Juggernaut” nickname. Parker, who had never been stopped before, finally succumbed to Joyce’s pressure in the eleventh round. It remains the only knockout loss on his otherwise impressive record.
Joseph Parker has bounced back spectacularly since that night, securing huge wins over Wilder and Zhang. Now he’s lined up for another world title shot against Daniel Dubois in February. The fight will take place in Saudi Arabia, where they share the card with what promises to be a light heavyweight classic between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.
(Image Credit: joeboxerparker – X)
