Carl Froch believes ‘anything can happen’ tonight when Joseph Parker and Fabio Wardley face off, but makes one man the favourite to win.
Parker will look to use his years of experience at the top level to get past Wardley, who has won 18 of 20 fights by knockout, winning his debut on points and drawing once with Frazer Clarke before winning the rematch inside the first round. Despite the highlight reel, former world champion Parker presents a different challenge entirely.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Froch praised both men before naming New Zealander Parker as his favourite to win.
“They’re similar ages. Parker in a late resurgence in his career, fully fledged professional, he’s been in there with most of them. You know what he can do and he’s looking good now late on … he beat Deontay Wilder, he had a great win against Zhilei Zhang. I like him. I think he’s a top fighter, he’s a developing pro even though he’s been in there, he’s fought AJ, he lost against AJ but he seems to have been in there with everybody and he’s just not quite of that elite world level, he’s not quite there yet. He deserves a shot now at another world title.
“Fabio Wardley, other than the draw against Frazer Clarke, he’s knocked out every single one of his opponents. Is he the British Deontay Wilder? … He knows how to fight, he can move, he can box a little bit. He likes to stand and have a tear up. He’s confident, brave, fit – he ticks all the boxes. But I would say, and I think the bookies would say as well, that Joseph Parker is the favourite. It’s just a great fight and anything can happen in this one.”
The winner of the fight will secure a shot at undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk. Should the Ukrainian decide against the mandatory fight, he will drop the WBO belt and either Parker or Wardley will be elevated to full champion. In other words, the stakes don’t get much higher at London’s O2 Arena tonight.
