It is fair to say that no heavyweight fight in recent years has dominated the headlines quite like
Anthony Joshua vs. Joseph Parker. Certainly, in the fighters’ home countries – Joshua is from the UK
and Parker hails from New Zealand – it is rare to pick up the sports sections of a newspaper without
seeing some new development or new line of trash talk about the upcoming fight.
Of course, the stakes couldn’t be higher, so you can understand the hype. Joshua (20-0, 20 KO’s) will
be defending his IBF, IBO and WBA (Super) heavyweight titles, whereas Parker (24-0, 18 KO’s) is
defending his WBO belt. The fight will take place at the Principality Stadium, Cardiff, UK, on 31 st
March. Over 70,000 fans are expected to attend the fight, which will be the third successive for
Joshua in front of a huge number of fans.
Wilder or Ortiz is the prize on offer for winner in Cardiff
Most of the buzz around the bout is focused on the possibility that in 2018 we may crown the first
undisputed heavyweight champion in nearly two decades. Deontay Wilder holds the WBC
heavyweight title and will defend it against Luis Ortiz on 3 rd March. The consensus is that we will see
a mega-money fight to unify all the belts later in the year.
According to the latest bookmakers’ odds, Joshua looks the most likely to be standing tall with all the
belts in the summer, although there is also a case to be made for the big-punching Wilder. Joshua is
currently priced at 1/8 with William Hill to beat Parker, but he can be found as low as 1/25 with
some major bookmakers. Parker can be found at 6/1 with the majority of betting companies, with
the draw priced at around 33/1.
Huge money expected to be bet on different fight markets
The betting tells us a lot about Joshua’s standing in comparison to Parker, with the British fighter
looking like a solid bet at 1/4 to win by KO/TKO or Disqualification. Indeed, the fight is priced at only
1/6 to end within the 12 rounds. However, there are many commentators out there who disagree
with the bookmakers’ assessments, so check out the latest Joshua v Parker free bet offers and betting predictions
for an expert breakdown of the fight.
Despite the short odds on the Joshua win, the pressure will be on the Watford-born fighter to land a
resounding win. The British press, always so quick to build-up stars before they have reached their
goals, have portrayed Joshua as inevitably set for a showdown with Wilder in the summer. They
have also gone one step further and speculated about an all-British heavyweight title showdown
with Tyson Fury. Joshua will be punished by Parker if he takes his eye of the ball.
Joshua and Parker should have the chemistry to deliver a good fight
It is that sense of ‘waiting to anoint’ Joshua as the savior of the heavyweight division that adds so
much intrigue to the fight. While Parker struggled in his last couple of his fights, he is also unbeaten
and has plenty in his locker to trouble Joshua. Good feet, quick hands and, on the evidence of his last
few bouts, decent stamina will help the New Zealander put on a show in Cardiff.
In saying that, there is no reason to suggest that Joshua won’t deliver. He is all the attributes to carry
the heavyweight division over the next few years. Despite his celebrity in the UK, he seems
supremely focused on the task at hand. Parker should suit his style and there is every chance that
the pair make the entry price worth the money on 31 st March.