Joseph Parker vs Fabio Wardley betting tips: The Unlikely Lads come to blows in London

To explain the title, ‘The Unlikely Lads’, one of these boxers was widely written off back in 2018 after back-to-back defeats, and the other wasn’t even given a chance to begin with! But here there are… 

It’s a battle between two interim champions; both boxers patiently waiting in line to challenge the throne. But instead of sitting back and taking keep-busy fights, they boldly put it all on the line by risking their pole positions in a winner-takes-all contest.

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WBO Interim champion Parker and WBA Interim titlist Wardley both urged promoter Frank Warren to keep them active, so he suggested they fight each other and they boldly agreed.

Parker is risking the most because he is already at the front of the queue to challenge for the undisputed championship, with Wardley right behind him. 

That shows his confidence, how he is willing to risk everything he has worked so hard for because it has taken him three years of blood, sweat and tears to reach this position.

Tale of the tape: Joseph Parker vs Fabio Wardley

Joseph Parker: The rightful challenger

He’s a former world champion who has been working hard for so many years to get back to the top.

It’s been well over seven years since Parker was the WBO world heavyweight champion, dethroned by Anthony Joshua in 2018 via unanimous decision. He then fell to another UD defeat the same year to Dillian Whyte (who is actually Wardley’s manager!), making it back-to-back losses in a disastrous year for the New Zealander.

Since then, he has won six bouts either side of a Joe Joyce knockout loss in 2022 – his third career defeat. He initially bounced back with a few decent wins before outpointing the tough, rugged Derek Chisora twice in 2021.

Then followed his only knockout loss to the ‘Juggernaut’ in 2022, which is when it all began to change for him.

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Already training under Andy Lee, since 2021, his improvements all came together to reel off six fantastic scalps since the start of 2023, including wins over Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang and Martin Bakole. Between the three of them, have a combined KO ratio of 85%; and he continues to get better fight-on-fight.

He does everything extremely well; he possesses fast handspeed for a heavyweight, good movement, decent power and strength, durability and heart, and his 13+ years as a pro shows in his ringcraft and intelligence.

Oleksandr Usyk is the man with all the marbles, awaiting the winner, and with Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua both inactive, Joseph Parker is the man right now, widely considered as the no.1 heavyweight contender in the world. But he has decided to risk it all against one of the most dangerous punchers in the world.

Fabio Wardley: The great pretender?

Fabio Wardley’s story has been widely reported and admired by all. The inspirational Ipswich hero started boxing late at the age of 20 and had just a couple of white-collar bouts before turning pro.

Trained by Robert Hodgins, the natural scored a knockdown in his first professional round at the iconic York Hall, then went on to stop his next three opponents in the first round. 

They kept lining up and he kept knocking them down, becoming English champion in his ninth fight with a third-round KO of Simon Vallily, then stopping the likes of Eric Molina and Nick Webb before winning the British title against Nathan Gorman in 2022.

He added the Commonwealth crown with a seventh-round stoppage win over David Adeleye in 2023, then 2024 saw two legendary battles take place with British rival Frazer Clarke. 

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Firstly, the heavyweight rivals fought to a draw in a Fight of the Year contender, before the rematch was decided conclusively when Wardley brutally broke Clarke’s jaw in the first round, demonstrating his frightening power.

In June this year, he showed off that scary strength again with a one-punch KO over Australian Justis Huni. 

However, it also showcased his shortcomings. 26-year-old Huni was well ahead on the cards, outboxing Wardley in front of his hometown fans at Ipswich Town’s Portman Road stadium, before he pulled off the stunning come-from-behind winning moment that truly shocked everyone watching.

Will that equalizer help him to win again or will his luck run out? It’s going to be both intriguing and exciting to find out!

Joseph Parker vs Fabio Wardley: The key factors 

Parker has the better skills, experience, acumen and all-round boxing ability. The New Zealander holds all the advantages, but for one – Fabio’s best, perhaps only, chance to win lies in his power.

The Brit will struggle to outbox the Kiwi, but he can knock anyone out with that equalizer of his. He’s a dangerous puncher and will always have a chance to win at any point during the fight.

Wardley is so strong and explosive, he will be dangerous in every second of every round. Aside from that though, the Brit also has a nice, fluid style; very loose and relaxed, exuding confidence.

But the fight with Huni did display his weaknesses, and despite absorbing some big shots in that fight and remaining standing, he did look hurt and jaded on more than one occasion. 

Someone like Parker will be able to hurt Wardley even more than Huni did, and will capitalise on those moments clinically.

Parker has a solid chin too, but he has been beaten and knocked out before, which will surely be the game plan for Wardley’s team – to win yet another contest by KO, against all odds.

FIRST.com’s top tip - Joseph Parker vs Fabio Wardley 

The favourite, Joseph Parker, to win this fight is 3/10 with Ladbrokes, if you are looking for a safe bet. Fancy a bit more value? Check out our ‘extra tips’ section below.

Pick: Joseph Parker to win the fight - 3/10 (Ladbrokes)

Extra tips 

Joseph Parker to win by KO in rounds 10-12 is 11/2 with Betway.

Pick: Joseph Parker to win by KO in rounds 10-12 - 11/2 (Betway)

For Fabio Wardley to pull off another ‘get-of-jail’ one-punch KO currently carries odds of 9/2 with Betway.

Pick: Fabio Wardley to win by KO - 9/2 (Betway)

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Odds correct at the time of writing.