JOE JOYCE STOPPED Joseph Parker in the 11th round of a heavyweight thriller tonight at Manchester’s AO Arena.
Londoner Joyce, who had won all of his previous 14 professional fights, started confidently in the opening round as he took a couple of strong right hands from New Zealand’s Parker, but remained unmoved.
Former world champion Parker – who has shared the ring with the likes of Anthony Joshua, Andy Ruiz Jr, Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora – was pushed onto the ropes during the third round as Joyce landed a series of telling blows.
The 30-year-old Kiwi, coached by Ireland’s Andy Lee and a training partner of Tyson Fury’s at the world heavyweight champion’s base in Morecambe, needed to find a response. Once again, though, Joyce stood up to a big right hand onto his chin towards the end of the fourth.
Joyce kept Parker pushed back onto the ropes with a run of body shots early in the sixth before the 37-year-old also landed a strong uppercut.
Both men then started to feel the pace of what had been a relentless heavyweight contest before a cut opened up over Parker’s right eye, which his corner went to work on at the end of the seventh.
Joyce continued to live up to his ‘juggernaut’ nickname, landing another big right hand in the eighth, before a blooded Parker bravely went forward with a left hook.
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At the start of the ninth, Parker, his left eye starting to close, somehow found the strength to go on the offensive, dispatching an uppercut which once again Joyce absorbed.
Parker was eventually dropped by a left hook from Parker in the 11th. Although he got back onto his feet, the New Zealander could not beat the count.
Joyce will now be targeting a shot at a world title later this year or early 2023 – and would appear in prime position to challenge unified champion Oleksandr Usyk.
“It was a tough fight and credit to Parker. He has improved and I really enjoyed it,” Joyce said on BT Sport after his victory.
“I had to dig deep to get through the rounds, I threw everything at him and he was still coming forward. I managed to drop him at the end, but it was hard work.”
Looking to the future, Joyce said: “Usyk, ‘I am very feel…’ Let’s get it on.”
Promoter Frank Warren added: “Joe showed why he is the juggernaut. I knew he’d get there in the end but hats off to Joseph Parker, he is a brave warrior.
“We have a new kid on the block here. Joyce is like a fine wine, he is getting better with age.
“He is the mandatory challenger for the WBO title against Usyk and we are going to move heaven and earth to make sure he gets a shot.”
Amanda Serrano celebrates her victory. PA
PA
On the Joyce-Parker undercard in Manchester, Katie Taylor’s career-long rival Amanda Serrano returned to the ring for the first time since suffering a narrow defeat to Taylor in their historic Madison Square Garden showdown in April.
The Puerto Rican Brooklynite eased to victory in a featherweight title unification bout with the previously undefeated Faroese-Dane, Sarah Mahfoud.
Serrano was scarcely troubled by the light-fisted Mahfoud but, equally, didn’t especially hurt her technically astute opponent in a bout which more closely resembled a sparring session than a 10-round world-title contest.
Serrano, 33, won 97-93 x2 and 99-92 on the three judges’ scorecards, and is now just one belt shy of becoming the undisputed champion in her preferred division of 126 pounds.
Post-fight, Serrano expressed her desire to win that fourth belt, currently held by Mexico’s Erika Cruz, before challenging Taylor in a rematch back up at lightweight.
Her plan could work out time-wise: Taylor’s team have eyes on a Serrano rematch at Croke Park in either April or August of next year, leaving plenty of time for Serrano to fight again in the interim.
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Joyce stops Parker in 11th, while Serrano makes victorious return
JOE JOYCE STOPPED Joseph Parker in the 11th round of a heavyweight thriller tonight at Manchester’s AO Arena.
Londoner Joyce, who had won all of his previous 14 professional fights, started confidently in the opening round as he took a couple of strong right hands from New Zealand’s Parker, but remained unmoved.
Former world champion Parker – who has shared the ring with the likes of Anthony Joshua, Andy Ruiz Jr, Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora – was pushed onto the ropes during the third round as Joyce landed a series of telling blows.
The 30-year-old Kiwi, coached by Ireland’s Andy Lee and a training partner of Tyson Fury’s at the world heavyweight champion’s base in Morecambe, needed to find a response. Once again, though, Joyce stood up to a big right hand onto his chin towards the end of the fourth.
Joyce kept Parker pushed back onto the ropes with a run of body shots early in the sixth before the 37-year-old also landed a strong uppercut.
Both men then started to feel the pace of what had been a relentless heavyweight contest before a cut opened up over Parker’s right eye, which his corner went to work on at the end of the seventh.
Joyce continued to live up to his ‘juggernaut’ nickname, landing another big right hand in the eighth, before a blooded Parker bravely went forward with a left hook.
At the start of the ninth, Parker, his left eye starting to close, somehow found the strength to go on the offensive, dispatching an uppercut which once again Joyce absorbed.
Parker was eventually dropped by a left hook from Parker in the 11th. Although he got back onto his feet, the New Zealander could not beat the count.
Joyce will now be targeting a shot at a world title later this year or early 2023 – and would appear in prime position to challenge unified champion Oleksandr Usyk.
“It was a tough fight and credit to Parker. He has improved and I really enjoyed it,” Joyce said on BT Sport after his victory.
“I had to dig deep to get through the rounds, I threw everything at him and he was still coming forward. I managed to drop him at the end, but it was hard work.”
Looking to the future, Joyce said: “Usyk, ‘I am very feel…’ Let’s get it on.”
Promoter Frank Warren added: “Joe showed why he is the juggernaut. I knew he’d get there in the end but hats off to Joseph Parker, he is a brave warrior.
“We have a new kid on the block here. Joyce is like a fine wine, he is getting better with age.
“He is the mandatory challenger for the WBO title against Usyk and we are going to move heaven and earth to make sure he gets a shot.”
On the Joyce-Parker undercard in Manchester, Katie Taylor’s career-long rival Amanda Serrano returned to the ring for the first time since suffering a narrow defeat to Taylor in their historic Madison Square Garden showdown in April.
The Puerto Rican Brooklynite eased to victory in a featherweight title unification bout with the previously undefeated Faroese-Dane, Sarah Mahfoud.
Serrano was scarcely troubled by the light-fisted Mahfoud but, equally, didn’t especially hurt her technically astute opponent in a bout which more closely resembled a sparring session than a 10-round world-title contest.
Serrano, 33, won 97-93 x2 and 99-92 on the three judges’ scorecards, and is now just one belt shy of becoming the undisputed champion in her preferred division of 126 pounds.
Post-fight, Serrano expressed her desire to win that fourth belt, currently held by Mexico’s Erika Cruz, before challenging Taylor in a rematch back up at lightweight.
Her plan could work out time-wise: Taylor’s team have eyes on a Serrano rematch at Croke Park in either April or August of next year, leaving plenty of time for Serrano to fight again in the interim.
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