Joseph Parker is just one of three opponents in 48 fights to not be knocked out by Deontay Wilder.
The New Zealander put on a disciplined performance against Wilder back in December of 2023, beating him via clear unanimous decision to put a halt to the American knockout artist’s fight back to the top of the division.
Though Wilder, who has 42 stoppages from 43 wins and packs arguably one of the biggest punches in the sport’s history, looked gun shy during the rounds and Parker didn’t allow him to get his best work off, he did land on occasion – those shots made an impression.
When speaking to Casino Hawks, Parker talked up his former foe’s ring return by saying he absolutely has the power to regain a title before retirement.
“Deontay Wilder will always have what it takes to be a champion again because he punches like a mule. If you think Dubois is a powerhouse, Wilder has extremely powerful hands and he has shown that in a lot of his fights.
“He probably has the best records out there when it comes to knocking people out. He has a good knockout ratio with the fights he has had. If he believes in himself and gets his training right, I’m sure he can come back.”
“Look at George Foreman for example. How old was he when he came back and won the world title? Heavyweights can go on in this game for a long time.”
Wilder, who was stopped inside five rounds by Zhilei Zhang after the Parker loss, returns to the ring next month against countryman Tyrrell Herndon. Should he win as expected, more big nights under the lights await – however this is almost certainly the 39-year-old’s last chance at the top table.
As for Parker, he is mandatory challenger for the winner of the upcoming Oleksandr Usyk vs Daniel Dubois undisputed rematch. He is expected to take a fight in the interim to defend that status.
