Joseph Parker Repeats in Heart-Fueled Battle
Following two back-to-back losses, heavyweight contender Dereck “War” Chisora (32-12, 23 KO’s) has now succumbed to three consecutive defeats. Chisora suffered this fate by losing to WBO inter-continental heavyweight champion Joseph “Lupesoliai La’auliolemalietoa” Parker (30-2, 21 KO’s) by way of unanimous decision. Considering it was Parker who last bested Chisora, back on May 1, this soggy outcome will likely signal serious talks about his retirement. Yet, it will be interesting to see where Chisora goes from here.
Without question, the colorful UK fighter has never hesitated to hop in the squared-circle with anyone. To date, he has already danced with Kubrat Pulev, David Haye, Vitali Klitschko, Dillian Whyte (twice), Oleksandr Usyk, Tyson Fury (twice) and now twice with Joseph Parker. Therefore there is little doubt that this setback is especially sour for the prideful fighter.
As for Parker, the victory will be a welcome reward for the #2 (WBO), #4 (IBF), #4 (WBC) and #13 (WBA) ranked heavyweight following the grueling affair. To begin, those rankings are likely to elevate in the very near future. Also, the win successfully extended his five-fight win streak that Parker was enjoying since his July 28, 2018 unanimous decision loss to Dillian Whyte to six.
A ROWDY AFFAIR!
Contrary to the electric atmosphere in the arena, the first round was essentially very tame. Rather than getting off to the blistering start that he did in their premiere dustup, Chisora began extremely cautious. He mainly plodded forward behind a crab-like high guard. Here and there he let his hands go but he essentially let Parker lead and throw probing shots throughout the period.
After War nailed Parker with a great overhand right to open the second round, the fight was instantly made more intense. Neither threw caution into the wind but the punch-output leapt up. By the final thirty seconds though, Chisora was looking shaky and eating big shots. He was already giving the impression he might go down. Once again, Chisora began the third well but, by the halfway mark, he was languishing on the ropes being hammered by big shots. To his credit, by the conclusion of the period, War had Parker backing away from him. Yet, the New Zealander was never in the same amount of duress that War was.
In the fourth, a hard right hook high on the head nearly floored Chisora. In fact, if not for the ropes, he would have gone spilling onto the canvas. Referee Howard Foster ruled it as the technical knockdown that it was. When he peeled himself from the ropes War voluntarily walked to the corner where he competed until the end of the period. Amazingly, War finished the round with an impressive series of punches himself.
The sixth round had a very different feel from all the previous rounds. This period began with Chisora bullying a suddenly weary looking Parker all around the ring. War was wise not to waste energy throwing silly shots and mainly focused on the body. It was his best round so far by leaps and bounds.
VIOLENCE TO THE END
Chisora began the seventh well but was forced to take a knee after being rocked by a right uppercut. In truly Hollywood movie fashion, War charged back and ended the period throwing heavy shots and pushing Parker into retreat. Chisora was then charged with a questionable knockdown in the eighth. While a right uppercut did land, Parker blatantly shoved War stumbling backwards into the ropes. Minus the shove, there is no reason to believe that Chisora would have back-pedaled as he did.
There would be no more major drama or fireworks after Chisora’s third knockdown of the bout. Yet, that does not mean that the action subsided. Until literally the final second of the prizefight, the two warriors remained in the pocket and fought like their children’s lives depended on it. Unfortunately the judges are not allowed to score heart. Therefore, when the cards were read, Chisora lost a unanimous decision. Yet there is no shame in this loss whatsoever. It will be interesting to see where Parker goes from here.
Reading Time: 4 minutes
By: Bakari Simpson
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