On 31. March, boxing world champion Anthony Joshua defends his heavyweight title against New Zealander Joseph Parker. The unification struggle is about the belts of the associations IBF, WBA and WBO.
The duel between the two previously unbeaten boxers was preceded by tough negotiations. As a result, IBF, IBO and WBA title holders Joshua and WBO title holders Parker will now fight for their titles on Holy Saturday. The winner of the duel comes within reach of the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999.
The exact time and transmission of the event is still unclear. SPOX will keep you up to date as soon as there are news.
Joseph Parker holds the WBO title since his victory over the previously unbeaten Mexican Andy Ruiz in December 2016. The battle for the then-vacant title came about after Tyson Fury had abandoned his titles of the WBA and WBO associations for depression. Since then, Parker has defended his title against Romanian R? zvan Cojanu and the British Hughie Fury.
Like his rival, Anthony Joshua is unbeaten so far. The Englishman celebrated his greatest success so far in April 2017, when he defeated Vladimir Klitschko in front of 90,000 spectators at the Wembley Stadium. By winning, Joshua not only defended his IBF title, but also won the IBO and WBA Super Champion titles. In his only defending title since then, Joshua defeated Cameroonian Carlos Takam by aborting in Round 10.
Joshua is calm before the important fight. At a performance at the “Graham Norton Show” the favourite gave his opponent the nickname “Kuchen” because of his appearance. But quickly the Briton added,”I can’t underestimate anyone.”
Parker is unimpressed by Joshua’s performance so far. Opposite the telegraph he said:”Joshua has a glass chin. We know that, he knows that, everybody knows that.”
On 31. March will show whether the “cake” or the “glass chin” will be victorious in the boxing ring.