Lawrence Okolie has given his view on the upcoming fight between Joseph Parker and Fabio Wardley.
Parker is one of the most in-form men in the division right now. He has beaten Zhilei Zhang and Deontay Wilder on points, and most recently stopped Martin Bakole inside two rounds.
He has long been chasing a shot at the WBO title, but first must deal with Wardley, the former British and Commonwealth champion who stopped Frazer Clarke inside one round earlier this year.
Last time out, Wardley got a late stoppage win over Justis Hunni which saved him from what was looking like a points loss.
Speaking to talkSPORT Boxing, Okolie predicted a stoppage win for Wardley in his next fight.
“I believe Wardley is going to win. I believe Wardley is going to be a bit sharper, especially in those early rounds. I know Parker is an ex-world champion and has been in there with some of the best fighters, but he’s not had a lot of rounds recently.
“In his last fight it was two rounds with Bakole and before that it was Wilder. In the last two or three years, he’s only had I don’t know how many rounds.
“With Wardley, he’s been on a good run, I think his sharpness will be able to get to Parker and I think he’ll hurt him in the middle rounds and end it by stoppage, but if he doesn’t and the fight goes on later, I think Parker’s experience is really going to show.”
The winner of this fight on October 25 could well go on to get a shot at two-time undisputed champion Usyk, who is nearing retirement but has admitted he has at least one or two fights left.
