Joshua Buatsi vs Zach Parker betting tips: ‘Lights Out’ – A light-heavyweight extravaganza in Manchester

Joshua Buatsi and Zach Parker lead the line-up for a light-heavyweight party, which also features a European light-heavyweight title defence between champion Bradley Rea and challenger Lyndon Arthur.

In the main event, London’s Joshua Buatsi and Derbyshire’s Zach Parker clash for the WBO International light-heavyweight belt in a bid to get back to world title contention.

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Buatsi’s crunch clash with Callum Smith in February saw him lose his WBO Interim light-heavyweight title and his place in the queue for a world title shot. 

Parker, too, saw his claim to the throne fade away after he broke his hand in a WBO Interim super-middleweight title fight in 2022 with John Ryder.

Both boxers have lost once each but are both ranked in the top five in the world. This important meeting will decide who goes on to challenge for world title honours.

Tale of the tape: Joshua Buatsi vs Zach Parker

Joshua Buatsi: Can JB get back to winning ways?

‘Just Business’ enjoyed a standout amateur career, winning multiple national titles and European and Olympic bronze medals.

His pro career began in 2017, shortly after his success at the Rio 2016 Olympics, and he instantly entered on the biggest stages at the O2 Arena, followed by fights at the Principality Stadium in Wales and the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York.

Willy Hutchinson, Dan Azeez and Craig Richards are among his most recent scalps – all 12-round points wins.

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In Buatsi’s last fight, in February, he was beaten for the first time in the pro ranks by former world champion Callum Smith. The two brilliant Brits slugged it out for 12 thrilling rounds. 

The pace and intensity they competed at was high from the outset and they each landed their biggest hooks on each other, but they both stayed standing all the way to the final bell.

The defeat revealed some of Buatsi’s weaknesses, but it also highlighted how good he is. His ability to go toe-to-toe with a former world champion and push him all the way to the final bell, forcing him to fight in every single second just shows what a warrior JB is.

He is a hard man to beat, so Parker will have to find a very special performance on Saturday night.

Zach Parker: Another shot at the WBO Interim world title

WBO-ranked #3 Parker also has a loss on his record, but it came via injury. In his eliminator bout with fellow southpaw, John Ryder, Parker was fighting well, but Ryder was warming up and getting into his stride until he was forced to retire with a broken hand after just four rounds. 

Ryder won and went on to fight Canelo. That’s how close Parker was to a world title shot.

The southpaw from Swadlincote has won four fights since breaking his right hand, all against a decent level of opposition in Tyron Zeuge, Jack Arnfield and Mickael Diallo, but not world-beaters.

Buatsi is arguably his hardest opponent yet. When comparing past opponents, they both have a similar defeat which can be used as a measuring stick. Smith and Ryder fought to the final bell in what many believe was a robbery when Smith had his hand raised. 

Buatsi lost to Smith, Parker lost to Ryder. Buatsi’s loss was unanimous but close still, so he and Smith are pretty much on the same level. Parker’s loss to Ryder was by default, but Ryder was beginning to take over the fight at the time of the injury.

It's perhaps a bit vague to draw conclusions from those losses, but Buatsi giving Smith such a brutal battle could show that he may be that little level above Parker.

Joshua Buatsi vs Zach Parker: The key factors 

Parker has a nice fluid, loose style, able to switch stances effortlessly to make it awkward for his opponents. It’s his loose, relaxed style that allows him to be so explosive, leaping into big shots in surprise attacks. 

Buatsi is a very disciplined, strong, technical, schooled fighter. He likes to fight behind a tight guard at mid to short range where he can power in big hooks to body and head.

During the war with Callum Smith, JB displayed his braveness and toughness, taking some of Mundo’s biggest shots and firing back spiritedly. 

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He was caught quite cleanly by Smith, stunned on more than one occasion, but he proved to the world that he has a big heart and granite chin, and that he belongs at the highest level.

I think that gives him the edge in this domestic dust-up, where he should demonstrate that he is just that bit better than Parker. He can be hit and hurt though, and Parker has power, so this is going to be a very interesting match-up.

Both boxers have been Interim world champions, in touching distance of challenging for the world, so they come to ring as equals, but it’s Buatsi who has that slight superiority.

FIRST’s’ top tip for Joshua Buatsi vs Zach Parker 

Joshua Buatsi to win the fight is 2/11 at Betway, at the time of writing. For better odds, Buatsi to win via decision is 2/1 at Ladbrokes.

Pick: Josh Buatsi to win via decision is 2/1 - Ladbrokes

Extra tips 

For the fight to end in a draw is 16/1 with some bookies, which are good odds, but also quite low for a boxing match. 

You can usually find odds of 20/1 or higher for a draw, so 16/1 suggests this could be a very even fight. 

At Ladbrokes, they are offering 20/1 odds for a draw, which could be worth a small punt.

Pick: The fight to end in a draw - 20/1 - Ladbrokes

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Odds correct at the time of writing.