Ahead of this weekend’s heavyweight action between Joseph Parker and Fabio Wardley that will stream live on DAZN, both fighters sat down for a face to face interview where they discussed the opportunity
at hand and how big this fight is because of what could come after it. Check out some excerpts from both fighters.
Parker on Wardley accepting the fight against him
“I’m happy that he put up his hand,” Parker said. “There’s a lot of fighters who say they want to fight, they fight anyone, but they’re just saying it. I think this is a good example of we will fight anyone, and even though we’re in a good position — he’s the WBA mandatory, I’m WBO — but we’re not going to sit around and wait. We want to be busy.
“He’s shown in his career that he does step up to the challenge and finds a way to win, so I’m not really surprised he took the challenge.”
Wardley on his willingness to step in against Parker
“It’s word to my ambition. That is the opportunity put in front of me, offered to me, is not one to say no to. And obviously there’s no overlooking the man in front of me but past this fight is the Oleksandr Usyk fight and that is a massive — that is not a massive fight, that is the fight, that is everything…So Parker being put to me was an obvious yes.“
Wardley on where he thinks Parker is at in his career
“I think he’s in his prime. I think he would probably say the same thing as well, that obviously being early on in his career, great fighter, not green in a sense but you still new to it, you’re still finding your feet in certain aspects. World champion, fantastic achievement. To lose and then have a bit of a middling point where you’re a bit here, there, maybe fell out of love with the sport, not really up for it, not really too keen, and then now obviously just upward trajectory of top level opponent after top level opponent just goes to show his ambition and how much he must love the sport and what he’s doing.”
Parker on whether he believes Wardley is a top level heavyweight
“Look what he’s done, look at the knockouts and each time he has stepped up he has found a way to win…I think both mandatories might be on the line here so he is top five in the world.”
