Joseph Parker suffers stunning first in heavyweight slugfest

28 July 2018 at 8:26 pm

Dillian Whyte has stunned Joseph Parker with a rare feat not even Anthony Joshua managed to achieve against the Kiwi star.

Whyte beat Parker by unanimous decision on Sunday (AEST) to take a step forward in his dream to be a world heavyweight boxing champion.

Whyte accepted the risky fight in an attempt to force a rematch with Joshua or a challenge at WBC king Deontay Wilder.

British brawler Whyte may never be a more worthy challenger after his win at The O2 Arena in which he barely made the final bell.

Not even Anthony Joshua managed to do this against Joseph Parker. Image: Getty

A heavy knockdown in the final round and his exhaustion left the 30-year-old struggling to defend himself against former WBO champion Parker.

But knocking Parker down in the second round, the first of the 26-year-old New Zealander’s career, Whyte received judges’ scores of 115-112, 115-110 and 114-111.

Whyte attempted to take the initiative and Parker was on the canvas in the second round after an apparent clash of heads.

Whyte tried to dominate the inside but Parker would pick him off with jabs, though fail to follow up his infrequent good shots.

Dillian Whyte, right, and Joseph Parker during their Heavyweight contest at The O2 Arena in London, England. (Photo By Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Building up a lead with his aggression, Whyte unexpectedly knocked down Parker in the ninth round with a left counter.

Knowing he needed a knockout at the end to win, Parker put down a tiring Whyte in the last round, but time ran out for him to press the advantage.

Both fighters entered the ring with only one loss, both to Joshua; Whyte in 2015 before any world titles were on the line, and Parker in March, when he lost his WBO title.

Whyte (24-1) has won eight successive fights since losing to Joshua.

Meanwhile, Dereck Chisora, who lost to Whyte by split decision in 2016, revived his career by stopping Cameroonian-French fighter Carlos Takam.

Chisora was receiving significant punishment and was being outworked by Takam until a huge right hand ended the bout in the eighth round.

Chisora (29-8, 21 KOs) lost his only world title challenge to Vladimir Klitschko in 2012, and other bouts to Tyson Fury (twice), and David Haye.

Takam (35-5-1) lost for the third time in five fights, the previous two to Parker and Joshua.