Joe Joyce vs Joseph Parker LIVE: Latest updates, result and reaction tonight
Re-live updates from the heavyweights’ showdown in Manchester plus all the undercard action
On Saturday night in Manchester, Joe Joyce was unfazed, undeterred and unrelenting as he marched through Joseph Parker’s offence, defence and resilience to knock out the New Zealander in the 11th round and claim the vacant interim WBO heavyweight title. There have been criticisms of Joyce’s speed, movement and creativity since the Olympic silver medalist turned pro, but the Briton has compiled a 15-0 (14 KOs) unbeaten record by playing to his strengths, and that was exactly what he did against Parker in this enthralling main-event contest at the AO Arena.
At 37 years old, Joyce has time against him in his quest to become a world champion, but it did not show on Saturday. Joyce picked his moments wisely in Manchester, applying constant, measured pressure against Parker but only increasing the volume and intensity of his output when absolutely necessary. Joyce established a healthy lead with forward movement, teasing jabs and well-timed power punches, while New Zealand’s Parker demonstrated great heart to absorb his opponent’s most effective offence and fire back with brutal body hooks and the occasional frightening haymaker.
Yet the “Juggernaut” continually pressed forward, indefatigable as he accepted Parker’s punches as though they were ‘tickles’, something he had threatened to do ahead of the bout. As the cuts and bruises began to mount for Parker, who did his best not to wilt and to instead conjure a finish against the odds, Joyce sensed that the end need not wait until the final bell, and he ultimately put Parker away in the penultimate round. Re-live updates from Joyce vs Parker and the full undercard, below.
Joyce vs Parker LIVE
In the preliminary bouts tonight...
Mark Heffron beat Martin Bulacio in the first round, Raven Chapman defeated Jorgelina Guanini via unanimous decision, Amaar Akbar outpointed Karlo Wallace, James Heneghan overcame Rod Douglas Jnr in Round 5, and Callum Thompson got past Delmar Thomas on the judges’ scorecards.
Joyce vs Parker LIVE
Ekow Essuman vs Samuel Antwi at welterweight will open the main card!
Joyce vs Parker LIVE
Here we go, the in-ring action should start any moment now.
Joyce vs Parker LIVE
T-minus 10 minutes until the main card begins!
Joyce vs Parker LIVE
Parker’s teammate and training partner Tyson Fury is in the building!
Joyce vs Parker LIVE
Here are the odds for tonight’s main event and co-main event – which sees Amanda Serrano defend her unified featherweight titles against Sarah Mahfoud – via Betfair:
Joyce – 1/2; Draw – 18/1; Parker – 6/4.
Serrano – 1/18; Draw – 25/1; Mahfoud – 17/2.
Joyce vs Parker LIVE
Tonight’s card in full:
Joe Joyce vs Joseph Parker (vacant WBO interim heavyweight title)
Amanda Serrano (C) vs Sarah Mahfoud (WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO women’s featherweight titles)
Michael Magnesi (C) vs Anthony Cacace (IBO super-featherweight title)
Ekow Essuman vs Samuel Antwi (welterweight)
Nathan Heaney vs Jack Flatley (middleweight)
Raven Chapman vs Jorgelina Guanini (women’s featherweight)
James Heneghan vs Rod Douglas Jnr (super-middleweight)
Callum Thompson vs Delmar Thomas (lightweight)
Amaar Akbar vs Karlo Wallace (super-lightweight)
Mark Heffron vs Martin Bulacio (super-middleweight)
Tommy Fletcher vs Toni Visic (cruiserweight)
Joyce vs Parker undercard: Who else is fighting tonight?
All you need to know about the main event and undercard at the AO Arena in Manchester
Joyce vs Parker LIVE
A reminder of tonight’s timings and viewing information:
The main card is set to begin at 7pm BST (11am PT, 1pm CT, 2pm ET), with ring walks for the main event expected at around 10pm BST (2pm PT, 4pm CT, 5pm ET).
The event will air live exclusively on BT Sport Box Office in the UK, with the card priced at £19.95. In the US, the event will stream live on ESPN+ for subscribers to the platform.
We’ll be providing live, round-by-round updates from the undercard and main event right here, too.
Joyce vs Parker live stream: How to watch fight online and on TV tonight
All you need to know about the main event and undercard at the AO Arena in Manchester
Joyce vs Parker LIVE
Here’s an excerpt from our interview with Parker this week:
“I’ve met Joe before, a few times, and he’s a nice guy. We’re going back and forth on social media, but ultimately we both can’t talk crap – and we’re not very good at it. But when we fight, we’re gonna fight hard; I think we’re gonna do most of our talking in the ring, both of us.
“I think we should leave the crap-talking to Tyson [Fury, Parker’s teammate] and to Deontay Wilder, to everyone else. Every fight’s the same; whether it’s someone who talks a lot of crap and s*** or someone who’s nice, it’s all the same. I wanna go in there and get the job done, and beat them up.”
Full interview here:
Joseph Parker on Joe Joyce fight: ‘We should leave the cr**-talking to Fury’
Interview: The New Zealander is training with Tyson Fury in Morecambe as he prepares to take on another British heavyweight, Joe Joyce, this Saturday
Joyce vs Parker LIVE
Here’s Indy Sport columnist Steve Bunce on tonight’s main event:
“Joyce and Parker are both in the world’s top 10, both waiting for a championship fight but have instead, against all logic, agreed to fight each other. It is a truly rare event in the muddled business of boxing and one that they have agreed to on a voluntary basis and not under orders from one of the sanctioning bodies.
“Joyce is unbeaten in 14 professional fights since losing in the Olympic final in 2016; Parker once held the WBO title and he has only lost to the very best. Parker has never been stopped and Joyce has knocked out 13 of the men he has beaten. I have no idea why these two are fighting – it is a joy.
“It really is a risk, a tough fight for both at a time when just about every leading contender in every single weight division is taking the easy route. Joyce and Parker deserve respect for breaking with tradition, turning the ancient boxing clock back and agreeing to fight.”
Full article here:
Joe Joyce and Joseph Parker set logic aside to turn back ancient boxing clock
Both heavyweights are in line for a championship fight but have decided to risk it all against one another in Manchester this Saturday
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