I personally think Joseph Parkers career is over

I'm not real high on him right now, but I can say that about a lot of inactive fighters since covid came about. He was difficult for Joshua and Whyte, so I think he could be a factor again. Hope we find out soon, because I'd like to see him against any of the contenders or top prospects.

 

Why? He is not old.

 

Feed him to Ruiz.

 

He's far from done & has been doing what he needs to do while the championship belts are tied up with others - fighting & winning.

Re-establishing himself as the #1 Kiwi H/W against Junior Fa is a significant fight after three necessary rebuilding/keeping busy fights.

In fact, it will be one of the biggest fights in the history of New Zealand boxing I would have thought. That's a guy who's 'done'? If managed correctly, he will be maneuvered into position for another title shot when one becomes available.

As for reports in the newspapers, the most significant words there are "hasn't been charged". Until that happens (if it ever does), I wouldn't read much into it.

 

I'm a fan though it's hard to believe he'll fight his way back into contention. Seems too happy just to be there.

Prior to the biggest fight of his life against Joshua he was more interested in going for a beer later.

Tough, athletic, and some skill to boot, but not enough passion!

Staying with Barry is/was the final nail.

 

He won’t be charged, the case is all over with the main offenders receiving lengthy prison sentences. The issue is one of reputation, if and when his involvement becomes public knowledge.

 

It doesn't matter how young he is in HW terms, once you lose that passion you never really get it back. Parker looks like a guy destined to just go through the motions for a few more years then retire with little fanfare after his career has fizzled out.

In terms of development he hit a ceiling a few years back. He could have broken through, I think, but he never was willing to make that push and stuck with Kevin Barry long after it was clear he had nothing left to teach him. It's a real shame as physically/athletically he's one of the best HWs in the world, and his early fights were blistering displays of raw athleticism. Even now that he's got heavier and a bit slower he's still one of the most explosive heavies in the world, and contrary to a lot of people's opinions, I think one of the harder hitting as well. Had he developed his craft the way Povetkin did I think we would have seen a lot more devastating knockouts, because anyone with that degree of explosive power is knocking people spark out if they land on them cleanly enough. Instead he has to labour to decisions because he has no imagination and his corner just tell him to go out and do the same thing over and over again.

 

I've noticed his conditioning and skills regressing over the last few years. Seems like a guy who doesn't have much ambition.

 

1 fight can change everything, he could go and beat Joyce, Ruiz, Chisora etc in his next fight and then he's back up there as a serious contender.

 

Last thing Ruiz needs is to add a professional prizefighter to his voracious diet.

In all seriousness, I'd like to see that fight, if only to find out where both men are at with their mentality and focus. Parker needs a win of that level to become a player of note again, and Ruiz absolutely needs to get himself back into shape and show that he hasn't eaten his way out of any serious fights. It'd be good for the sport if both guys could step it back up and restore some added depth to the HW scene.

 

Parker is 28 - just coming into his Samoan prime

We simply have not seen him against top opposition for 2 years - so people think he is slipping.

But he may well be about to show everyone his full potential

 

Stepped up twice and lost twice.

Too much of a coward and too comfortable financially and in his personal life to change trainer, manager and team.

He has all the talent and raw ingredients to be a champion HW. But lacks the desire and aggression to be one.

He is now feasting on bums in a boxing backwater as his career degenerates into nothingness.

If he was serious about becoming a HW champion again he would base himself in the U.K. or stateside and employ a professional boxing trainer and management team. His current manager is a Kiwi coke head who doesn’t have a clue.

 

He is slipping.

By fighting bums from his boxing backwater base and failing to get rid of his coke head manager. What is he going to achieve?

Tough times build champions. Parker is in his comfort zone and hasn’t changed anything off the back of his two losses. His career is slipping into the abyss.

I am angry at him for this as it is such a waste of talent.

 

Hopefully the Fa fight goes ahead in Jan

and a good chance of fighting Usyk for the WBO after.

Parker is far from finished at 28 years old

 

Parker aint got no fire in the belly or any resemblance of a mean streak.aka the tame samoan.

He would have to move to the US, hook up with a US based promoter and get a proper US based trainer and camp with some build up fights against B level opposition not the fa bums of this world.............but it will never happen, see above, he aint got any fire in the belly and cannot make changes even if you put a gun to his head...............he shot his wad.