Joseph Parker says he “can’t wait” for tonight’s fight against WBA interim heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley to show fans what he and his team have cooked up to win. It’s going to have to be something special for him to defeat Wardley (19-0-1, 18 KOs), because this guy is motivated and hungry.
Parker’s $70M Motivation
WBO interim champion Parker (36-3, 24 KOs) stands to earn his biggest payday against Oleksandr Usyk in 2026 if he’s victorious tonight. He could see a paycheck between $60-$70 million against Usyk if he defeats Wardley in their 12-round main event fight at the O2 Arena in London.
Wardley, 30, started boxing late at 20, but he’s learned fast and possesses power and hand speed that could enable him to make up for what he lacks in experience against Parker tonight.
DAZN PPV Spotlight Tonight
The Parker-Wardley event will be shown live on DAZN PPV for $59.99.
“I think you’re going to see a special performance from Joseph tomorrow,” said trainer Andy Lee to Queensberry, predicting a great effort from Joseph Parker against Fabio Wardley on Saturday. “I think Joe is going to get him out of there in seven rounds.”
Parker’s recent wins over Martin Bakole, Zhilei Zhang, and Deontay Wilder are what have the boxing public and the oddsmakers sold on him. They believe those three wins are enough to guarantee him a victory. However, as Wardley points out, he’d have beaten those three fighters as well. He’s right. Wardley would likely have too much speed and energy for those guys to deal with at their ages and physical condition.
Parker Promises a “Special Show”
“I can’t wait to get in there and show everybody what I’ve been working on. We’re treating him like he’s the champion of the world,” said Parker. “We want to go out there and show there are levels. I’m ready to go in there and enjoy myself. Joseph Parker wins in a special show.”
If Parker loses, it could be the end for him. Although he’s only 33, he’s old for his age and has a lot of mileage on the odometer. It would be hard for him to come back from this to get a title shot before he ages out.
