Joseph Parker - Lucker and Excuse maker

Hey you’re just like me

 

He's not unique in this regard. Plenty of athletes in many sports have a level of cognitive dissonance. Current book I am reading "Mind Games" by Annie Vernon who was a multiple Olympic medal winning rower talks about this and how it's a common trait in many elite athletes. It allows athletes at the top level to get over defeats or bad performances and keep grinding on towards a goal.

 

The Whyte headbutt isn't an excuse, he was clearly affected by it for several rounds after. I am pretty sure he would have beaten Whyte but for that, Whyte got lucky.

 

He was hyped up because he's one of Joshua's best wins. And Parker's hometown decision over Ruiz aged very well when Ruiz pummelled Joshua and made him quit.

Aside from that, Parker did turn his career around impressively after being destroyed by Joyce. Wilder was finished but we didn't know that going in and Parker was a 5/1 underdog. Joshua could have fought Wilder then but he and his team didn't want it. Then Parker fought Zhang, who was in good form having just obliterated Joyce. Parker upset the odds again, albeit in a close fight where he had to peel himself off the canvas twice. Then he signed to fight Dubois, the next fighter on the best KO streak in the division. Now he's fighting Bakole. It's a good run, especially if he beats Bakole.

I doubt it will culminate in him winning a title again though. Even at 39 Usyk should have too much for him.

 

I mean you can pick apart anyone's resume if you try hard enough, except for someone like Usyk who is a generational talent and best of an era and even then you can say things like he beat Chisora who had 10+ defeats, he beat a clearly past his best Joshua who hadn't been the same since Ruiz and hadn't been anyone since, and an obviously washed and old Fury who didn't have it anymore. And besides one moment in the Fury fight he barely put a dent in any of those guys taking it to decision every time. Oh and quitter Dubois.

Parker is pretty accurately rated considering who has fought and where he sits relative in the division to everyone else. He is interesting though in that a lot of his fights, especially his more recent ones it seems to be pretty 50/50 people saying he has the skills to win vs people saying he sucks and is going to get destroyed.

 

It’s weird to hate on Parker that’s a great ambassador for the sport, he’s well spoken, carry himself well, never get into trash talk, down to fight anyone and always show up fighting hard.

If you break it down, everyone had an “off night” were they didn’t look their best.

 

Several boxers such as Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder are far worse for making excuses.

And how many other heavyweights would be brave enough to accept the fearsome Martin Bakole as a short notice opponent for a no title fight?

 

Well, not really, is Mike Tyson a good ambassador of the sport? Not really, he loved by everyone but he’s not a good ambassador of the sport with all the drama in his personal life.

Parker have a lot more power than you give him credit for.

 

Troll thread - ignore

 

Him and DuBois are both overhyped and their levels have already been exposed more than once.

That’s actually why it was a good match, they’re both B level heavyweights.

If they’re the next best after Usyk and Fury’s era, we’re in for a pretty sorry state of the division… but maybe some exciting fights!

This thread is a weird hater thread though, I couldn’t get past the first couple paragraphs. What did Parker do to you?