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Anthony Joshua vs Joseph Parker: World Heavyweight title fight live round-by-round updates, blog

31st March, 2018
Time: From 6.30am (AEST), Sunday 1 April
Venue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff
TV: Live, Main Event
Fight Records: Joshua 20-0, Parker 25-0
Betting: Joshua $1.10, Parker $7
Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker do battle in a world heavyweight unification title fight on Saturday. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)
Roar Guru
31st March, 2018
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1414 Reads

Match result:

Anthony Joshua has won his bout with Joseph Parker on points, all three judges finding strongly in his favour – 118-110, 118-110, 119-109.

Match preview:

It’s the battle of two unbeaten heavyweights when England’s Anthony Joshua takes on New Zealand’s Joseph Parker in Wales. Join The Roar for round-by-round updates and debate in our live blog from 7am (AEST).

Both fighters hold versions of the world heavyweight title, with 28-year-old Joshua holding the WBA and IBF belts, while 26-year-old Parker has the WBO title.

There’s also another unbeaten heavyweight champion in the wings – America’s Deontay Wilder (40-0), who holds the WBC belt. The winner of Joshua/Parker could set up an eagerly anticipated unification payday with Wilder later this year.

Joshua is the heavy favourite leading into this bout. He won the super-heavyweight gold medal at the London Olympics before turning pro, and since then he’s had 20 KO victories in 20 fights. He’s a devastating puncher, with his bouts lasting just over three rounds on average.

He did get an almighty scare though against 41-year-old Ukrainian legend Wladimir Klitschko nearly twelve months ago. In an epic heavyweight battle, Klitschko recovered from being dropped in the fifth round to put Joshua down in the sixth and almost finish him.

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To his credit, Joshua withstood his most serious challenge to date and knocked Klitschko out in the 11th round. Joshua was ahead on two judge’s cards at the time, but the third judge had Klitschko ahead.

Parker has 18 KOs in his unbeaten 24-fight career. He’s gone the 12-round championship distance four times, but his big challenge in this fight will be avoiding Joshua’s bombs to get that far. The Englishman will have a height and reach advantage over him, and more punching power.

But anything can happen in a heavyweight fight and there’s no doubt all his New Zealand countrymen will be cheering Parker on to cause a massive upset.

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