Boxing is in a real slump this year, with few major fights and far less compelling bouts than usual, and so the prospect of a serious and intriguing heavyweight contest between Joseph Parker and Fabio Wardley at the O2 Arena brings a measure of relief to the beleaguered business. The winner will almost certainly face Oleksandr Usyk, the world champion, next year. In contrast, the loser is likely to lament the inevitable erosion of the hard-won plaudits he had gained.
Danger and risk surround this clash. Parker is on a hot streak since his last defeat, to Joe Joyce, three years ago. The New Zealand veteran, who won the WBO world title in 2016, has been rejuvenated by his switch of trainers to the inspirational Andy Lee. He has won six fights in a row, earning particular acclaim for the poised way in which he crushed Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang and Martin Bakole.
