Former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker 34-3 (23) has found support from an unusual quarter ahead of his clash with Zhilei Zhang 26-1-1 (21) at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on March 8.
The bout will be the main support to the fight between two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua 27-3 (24) and former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou 0-1.
New Zealand’s Parker, 32, is coming of a stellar 2023 that saw him box four times for four wins, including an impressive unanimous decision win over former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder 43-3-1 (42) in December.
The previous year Parker boxed just once, losing by 11th round knockout to Joe ‘Juggernaut’ Joyce 15-2 (14) when a left hook to the chin put his lights out.
In a bizarre reversal of fortunes, England’s Joyce, 38, boxed twice last year, losing each time. That brace of bouts came against giant Chinese southpaw Zhang, who despite being 40, appears to be in his physical prime.
In the first fight in April, Joyce was stopped in the sixth round after sustaining damage to his right eye. He fared no better in their immediate rematch five months later. Zhang knocked him out in three with a right hook to the head.
Joyce, who had relatively little experience facing left-handed boxers before stepping into the ring against Zhang, believes that Parker’s greater experience in this area will serve him well next month.
“I’m hopeful Parker can do it, can beat Zhang and like be just a little bit more, I don’t know, smart and skillful than I was and get in there,” Joyce told Seconds Out. “But Zhang, he’s very accurate and if he hits him with a good shot, he can put Parker down no problem.
“Parker, I think he’s got more experience fighting southpaws. It’s a real interesting fight for me to see. Yeah, I’ve obviously fought them both. Zhang is very accurate. And he doesn’t throw a lot of shots, but with those shots, the shots that he does throw are very powerful and meaningful.
“Parker throws quite a lot of shots, he’s got a good chin, he’s durable and he’s got a good boxing brain. So, I think it’s a good fight.
“Zhang is very good. Don’t get me wrong, he was very sharp and accurate and powerful as well – and tough. He’s tough as well. He can take a shot, too. So yeah, he’s one to beat, people are gonna have to watch out for. And I’m really looking forward to this one against Joseph Parker just being announced. That’ll be interesting to see how they get on.”
Joyce will return to action against Kash Ali 21-2 (12) in a 10 round bout at Resorts World Arena in Birmingham, England on March 16 to be broadcast live in the UK on BT Sport.
