A battle between WBO interim heavyweight champion Joseph Parker and WBA interim champion Fabio Wardley is reportedly being finalized for October 25th at the O2 Arena in London, England.
Staying Active for Usyk
Parker’s promoter, David Higgins, views Wardley as a good stay-busy fight to keep him active while he waits for his world title fight.
It’s not the fight that the 13-year pro Parker (36-3, 24 KOs) had hoped for, as he’s been waiting for a title shot against undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
Facing the inexperienced and untested Wardley 19-0-1, 18 KOs) is arguably a backwards move for Parker, 33, from the last three fights he’s had against Martin Bakole, Zhilei Zhang, and Deontay Wilder.
Parker’s Advantages
- Experience against elite-level: Parker has a more extensive resume, including past fights against Bakole, Anthony Joshua, Dillian Whyte, Zhang, Wilder, Andy Ruiz, and Carlos Takam.
- Mobility
- Durability
- Staminia: The average length of Wardley’s fights during his 20-fight career is 3.6 rounds. Many of Wardley’s fights have ended early due in part to his lower-level opposition. In contrast, Parker’s fights have averaged 6.5 rounds.
- Psychological edge:
Despite lacking the same credentials as a pro, the eight-year pro Wardley will be getting home country advantage over the former WBO heavyweight champion Parker (36-3, 24 KOs). It’s questionable whether that will benefit the slugger Wardley, as Parker has proven in the past that he can win in the UK, beating Dereck Chisora twice and Jack Massey.
Parker did lose to British fighters, including Joe Joyce, Dillian Whyte, and Anthony Joshua, in the UK. The defeats to Joshua and Whyte were seven years ago in 2018, and Parker has shown improvement in his game since.
“Usyk’s injury is a convenient excuse. Parker deserves his shot, but this fight keeps him active at least,” said Parker’s promoter, David Higgins, to BoxingScene.
The Problem with Wardley’s Power
Fans on X overwhelmingly are picking Parker to defeat Wardley, believing he’s too seasoned for him due to his experience. Wardley is viewed as a basic slugger who can be outboxed, as Justis Huni showed before being knocked out in the tenth round earlier this year on June 7, 2025. If Fabio can’t knock out Parker, he could have a difficult time winning a decision because of his boxing skills, experience, and stamina.
Wardley’s Notable Wins
- Frazer Clarke
- Justis Huni
- David Adeleye
- Nathan Gorman
- Eric Molina
Last Updated on 09/01/2025
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