Joseph Parker Glad That Fabio Wardley ‘Put Up His Hand’

While face-to-face interviews between fighters are often (in)glorious displays of trash talk and intimidation. Joseph Parker (36-3, 24 KOs) and Fabio Wardley (19-0-1, 18 KOs), on the other hand, chose to do things a little differently. Exhibiting commendable respect for each other’s prowess, the duo was seen showing their appreciation for having each other as opponents.

The duo recently sat down for a face-to-face interview with DAZN. In conversation, Parker mentioned that he was happy with the fact that Wardley was ready to face him.

“I’m happy that he put up his hand. There’s a lot of fighters who say they want to fight, they fight anyone, but they’re just saying it. I think this is a good example of, we will fight anyone, and even though we’re in a good position, he’s the WBA mandatory, I’m WBO, but we’re not going to sit around and wait. We want to be busy,” said Parker. “He’s shown in his career that he does step up to the challenge and finds a way to win, so I’m not really surprised he took the challenge.”

Wardley hasn’t been away from the ring for too long. He was seen in action barely four months prior, with an explosive 10th-round KO against Justis Huni, winning the vacant WBA interim heavyweight title in the process.

The upcoming fight is set to be a major milestone in the careers of both fighters, says promoter Frank Warren. With the victor of the fight potentially positioned to face Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed title, Warren and DAZN executives highlighted that the fight is a pivotal contest for future championship positioning.

With the fight night approaching, Parker certainly believes that his opponent is world-class.

“Look what he’s done, look at the knockouts and each time he has stepped up he has found a way to win,” he said. “I think both mandatories might be on the line here, so he is top five in the world.”

“Word To My Ambition”

Meanwhile, Wardley is not just looking forward to the fight. He has already pictured himself winning the fight and facing Usyk for “the fight”.

“It’s word to my ambition. That is the opportunity put in front of me, offered to me, is not one to say no to. And obviously, there’s no overlooking the man in front of me, but past this fight is the Oleksandr Usyk fight, and that is a massive, that is not a massive fight, that is the fight, that is everything. So Parker being put to me was an obvious yes,” he said.

Joshua Ben Joseph

Joshua Ben Joseph is a Boxing writer renowned for his unparalleled coverage of live events and insightful interviews with prominent athletes in the world of combat sports. With a career spanning over several years, he has authored more than 800 articles. As an experienced editorial cartoonist and investigative journalist, Joshua has a keen eye for detail and a passion for delivering quality content. Aside from his writing, Joshua is an avid powerlifter and solo traveler, embodying the same spirit of determination and exploration that he brings to his work. With a deep love for the sport of boxing that dates back to childhood, he is committed to delivering the highest quality content and helping to build a more transparent and credible industry.

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