If Wardley beats Parker fairly should he get the title shot against Usyk over Kabayel?

Exactly - and it's why I find it hard to use words like "deserved" based on org rankings, who's won mandatory positions (unless against someone proven), etc

 

Wardley was scheduled to fight Miller, instead fighting Huni in June, its only the win over Huni that has catapulted him to genuine world title contender, im pretty sure he holds a interim WBA title too now. Parker was scheduled to fight Dubois in Feb for the IBF, instead fighting Bakole and then was waiting for the winner of Usyk Dubois which didnt even take place till July.

Only possible fight that could have taken place in the summer would have been Kabayel vs Parker since they both fought in Feb but made absolutely no sense since they both hold interim titles which was their golden tickets. Why risk your golden ticket when you can just wait to see if Usyk picks you next. Only reason its possible now is because Usyks out for a while and theres a good chance the belts are gonna scatter. At this rate, we could have the first ever undisputed interim champion if they all fought, the interim belts are on the line, and Usyk is still allowed to hold onto the belts.

I think Usyk vacates. Then the following paths happen.

Parker vs Wardley winner elevated to WBO Champion.

Itauma beats Pulev to become WBA Regular Champion. Will fight Hrgovic for the Vacant WBA World Title if he hasnt been elevated to full Champion which he most likely will.

Agit Kabayel is elevated to WBC World Champion and defends against Lawrence Okolie.

Dubois vs Sanchez winner will be ordered to fight Derek Chisora for the Vacant IBF Belt.

I fully expect Tyson Fury to come back and avoid Itauma and Kabayel, if Parker wins the WBO, obviously not a route for Fury, Wardley, possibly. If its Dubois or Chisora holding the IBF belt, i see Fury taking that fight. If its Sanchez, expect Fury to not even attempt to get a belt and most likely stay retired. Anthony Joshua will have a tune up and be somebodys first title defence, Unlikely to be Wardley or Itauma if they hold belts as they all have the same coach and unlikely Dubois as we have seen that outcome now so you are looking at potentially Parker/Kabayel/Chisora/Sanchez/Okolie.

All in all, i think the only one who could venture up enough to goad Usyk back in the ring with a massive payday in the next 12-18 months would be Itauma collecting a belt or two. Parker, deserves it, just doesnt sell as much, Kabayel, still not big enough, Fury, AJ, Dubois 3? no thanks. Just something about Itauma becoming kingpin in Usyks absence that would capture Casuals and Hardcore fans together and be like, yeah i want to see it. It would be way to anti climactic for Usyk to end his career beating a Parker or a Kabayel or a trilogy fight. Beating Itauma just sells so much more if Itauma claims the throne in his absence. God that fight would be huge.

 

Parker:
Bakole: Lower level top 10 guy but had just destroyed a "top 10" prospect: TKO win:
Zhang: mid level top 10 guy: MD win: (I thought it was a UD)
Wilder: Someone who probably wasn't in top 10 anymore but good name: UD win

all 3 good wins no doubt.

Kabayel:
Zhang: mid level top 10 guy, beat up and stopped
Frank Sanchez: undefeated lower/mid top 10 guy, beat up and stopped
Makhmudov: undefeated top 15 guy, beat up and stopped.

Frank Sanchez I'm pretty sure at the time was higher ranked than any of the other fighters save Zhang, Kabayel's performance against their mutual and highest rated opponent completely overshadows Parker's. His win over undefeated top 10 Sanchez also IMO does everyone else Parker fought. Bakole simply wasn't prepared to fight and I also had Sanchez ranked higher than Bakole, as did I believe the sanctioning bodies at the time.

So your "why on Earth" I can definitely retort "why not".

Kabayel has a far better chance against Usyk than Parker. They both lose but Kabayel stylistically has a better chance

 

I understand your point and agree that the current heavyweight situation are what they are (very poor) and that the rankings, as I mentioned before, are completely unreliable.

I say Kabayel deserves a chance at the world championship (as does Parker) because he's coming off very good results, as is Parker. Makhmudov and Sanchez are certainly nothing exceptional, but demolishing Zhang is a significant victory in my opinion. Perhaps you and I may give different weight to Parker's victories over Wilder and Bakole, but those are just opinions, it's right that everyone has their own, otherwise it would be boring if we all thought the same way. That's all, thanks for the nice discussion (it's always nice to discuss boxing in a civilized manner like us) and have a good day.

 

Definitely agree, I like a good natured disagreement, too!

I think for me the big thing is that Kabayel has so little before that recent run... Everything's always framed as "last 3" here, which is convenient for Kabayel.
Parker has way more depth even if you count their "last 3" as broadly similar in quality (and even considering Wilder as hopelessly overrated rather than shot, I don't) because he has a career before that which doesn't peak at Chisora and then devolve into running away and fighting the kind of bums even Wilder fans wouldn't defend as decent opponents (and he only knocked out half those bums, by the way).


I think Kabayel's closer to fully deserving a chance than most, but that's in part because he looks decent and depth is in short supply generally... But I can't put him close to Parker

 

It's hard to call Wilder proven when he failed the test 5 times. But he's a former champion so I can concede that. But Bakole is no more proven than Zhang who lost to both men, or Sanchez who also has a win against the same person that he had a horrible draw with in Ajagba who I barely rate.

You're right Mahkmudov may very well be one. But Frank Sanchez beat all of the usual suspects that you would expect one to beat if they were going to make a run, he has more known names (not necessarily great ones but recognized ones) than anyone that we're discussing, so to call him an utter hype job..........eh. He has a top 10 guy on his resume (again who I barely rate) and probably 5 top 20 guys. I don't think he's gonna sniff a title but he's definitely a contender, he has one loss so I'm not gonna call him a hype job. If he loses his next 3 then I can revisit my opinion.

But we can at least agree that Kabayel is the more interesting fight.

 

Just aslong as Usyk fights Parker/Wardley winner or Kabayel and we don't see another pointless rematch or trilogy I'll be happy with either.

I would rather Parker win though as I'd like to see another nationality fighting Usyk rather than the 5th British Heavyweight.

 

Parker beat a younger Zhang, arguably less impressively, but he was on a much better run before Parker beat him.

Wilder was an overwhelming favourite and top 5 at the time. He only magically became shot afterwards.

Bakole was short notice, but nobody else wanted that smoke and it was considered a risk for Parker.

Compared to Kabayel who has a nice KO against Zhang, beat up an injured Sanchez and his win against Mahkmudov isn't exactly aging well.

Now compare their next opponents. Parker is obviously taking on the more dangerous opponents and thus has earned it more.

 

No. Wardley did not deserve to fight Huni for an interim belt. He is this position because the WBA lost their mind. But it really doesn't matter because Usyk has promised to unify the WBO interim belt and if Wardley beats Parker thats Wardley.

Wardley was Commonwealth champ but he is probably not a top 5 British HW and the only reason he got to be Commonwealth champ is because all the other British HWs are being showered with title shots and eliminators. Kabayel has one of the best HW regional resumes of modern times.


If the division was in a different place and Usyk was an active champ who cares about the order he defends. We are where we are Usyk has fought 5 people at HW total and is at that stage of his career where hes going to be making retirement noises after every fight.

 

It's in our best interest IMO for Parker to beat Wardley... If Wardley win's it's a rematch and more time out for Uysk, Kabayel can only get his shot it seems by beating Parker... Parker will leapfrog Kaba (TOTALLY FAIR) and Kaba probably gets the winner? he should have to fillet another contender for his shot at Usyk anyway - let him feast on DDD, Fury or AJ, I'd like all three of those fights and if he won it’d nail the coffin shut on any of them getting a go at Usyk again. Hoping next years season we see Andy Ruiz make one last run, same as Wilder I love a good comeback... I wanna see AJ retire on a good note I'd like Fury to work his way PROPERLY back into number 1 contender status perhaps after a good bout with AJ?, Parker, Kabayel, DDD and Hrgovic etc should rightfully be standing in his way.

 

Does getting a Parker KO on your record mean you've earned a shot?
Hard to say.
Parker is due for his shot and those that don't agree usually think it's because Kabayel deserves it more. Let's not have that discussion, but say for the sake of argument Parker IS the most deserving, does beating him earn you that spot in the queue?
Not for me. It doesn't erase what Kabayel and other have accomplished that puts them closer to a title shot in my mind.
Having said that, I can see how a victory like that would start to make his argument for Wardley. Just for me that it'd stand alone and need some other supporting wins to justify the opportunity.

You can trust the promoters and ranking orgs to **** it up somehow though.

 

But if Wardley managed to beat Parker it would be better than any win on Kabayels resume.