Parker survives two knockdowns, outpoints Zhang for interim title
Parker survives two knockdowns, outpoints Zhang for interim title
Vargas escapes with split draw vs. Ball to retain WBC featherweight crown; Madrimov stops Kurbanov to win vacant WBA junior middleweight belt
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Joseph Parker got off the mat from two knockdowns to pound out an upset majority decision victory against Zhilei Zhang to claim the WBO interim heavyweight title on Friday at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the Anthony Joshua-Francis Ngannou co-feature.
While one judge scored the bout 113-113 the other two had it 115-111 and 114-112 for Parker, who has scored his two biggest wins in the past four months, having pulled a major upset decision over former WBC titlist Deontay Wilder on Dec. 23 on the Joshua-Otto Wallin undercard, also in Riyadh.
“This is a great win. I feel like we’re on the up now,” Parker said. “Zhang is a tough man. Knocked me down twice but I came back to the corner and (trainer) Andy (Lee) said, ‘Keep your composure, keep boxing and follow the plan.’ I’m very happy. I want to go home and celebrate!”
By defeating Wilder, Parker not only wrecked plans for the long-awaited showdown between Joshua and Wilder that was supposed to headline Friday’s “Knockout Chaos” card, but he also put himself in position for another significant fight against Zhang, who was coming off having claimed the interim title in a one-sided knockout of Joe Joyce in April 2023 followed by an even more dominant knockout of Joyce in the September rematch.
Joyce, of course, scored a very harsh 11th-round knockout of Parker in the fight before facing Zhang, which is one of the reasons he was a significant favorite against Parker.
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