Parker very average but....would probably KO Wilder.

Parker just isn't as good as the hype that surrounded his rise. He is being detached from that belt the moment he fights AJ.

The Wilder fight is a pick em.

 

He is still undefeated, and has now taken 0s from two young highly regarded and rated prospects - JUST, but you know, Parker is a 25 year old who deserves a solid "contender" status at the very least. We are past the point where people can say he is fighting old men, he isn't cherry picking, he isn't fighting people with no chin or with losing records.

Haters gonna hate, but the reality is he is still improving and he's got through every challenge - whether by an inch or a mile. He has a better resume than Wilder now, whether or not Wilder would beat him.

 

Parker fan here, so take with a large grain of salt, but:

From the first list, I wouldn't put current Pulev. I think he's in retirement mode and a long way below what he was when he fought Wlad. He has a better jab and footwork than Parker but not much else. Struggled with Kevin Johnson, and both Takam or Hughie would have a good shot at beating Pulev. It's not better than the 50/50 list for him Vs Parker IMHO.

Second list: I'd take out Hammer, Browne and maybe even Breazeale. Hammer and Browne just aren't particularly good, Takam would be favoured against both. Browne struggled with Rudenko who is a level below Hughie. Ugonoh nearly had Breazeale out of there, just got let down by chin and stamina. Parker definitely has a better chin than Ugonoh, and I doubt he gases that early.

 

Parker even in his current mode 115-112s almost all but the top of the division. He's the BJS of HW.

 

If Parker had gone the Wilder route and taken on soft touches that he knew were a level below him he'd still look a million dollars and people would be calling him the second or third best fighter in the division, but because he actually wants to take on the best and look less than spectacular doing it he gets mercilessly ragged on by fickle fans who moan about fighters not taking on the best. What an unfair world we live in.

Parker has taken on three stiff challenges now, Takam, Ruiz and Fury and gutted out the win every time. That has to count in his favour. Against Wilder he'll be fighting a guy who isn't afraid to come to him, and I think that suits Parker down to the ground. Remember that Wilder just recently struggled against Gerald Washington and was getting outboxed by Artur Szpilka. He's not a top level talent, and had he taken on the sorts of fighters Parker is taking on he might well have got a loss by now.

Parker is not a Joshua level fighter, and likely never will be (this coming from a fan) but anyone that calls him average doesn't have a clue what they're on about. Average fighters don't have the resume Joe has, and I think fans are being extremely disrespectful to him for doing something that they constantly wish more fighters would do. Maybe this is the reason why they don't.

 

Imo, Parker has more boxing talent than Wilder but Wilder does have a weapon. His right hand.

 

Fair points.

Tbh whilst I think Wilder and Joshua both beat Parker, take away 41yo Wlad and Parker has the better resume of the 3 fighters imo.

 

whattt???? You guys are crazy.. Wilder's 1000 times more aggressive than Hughie Fury.. Hughie has great speed, footwork, defense.. but he is just not busy enough.. he throws 10 punches per round.. thats not gonna get the job done.

 

There is a strong argument to be made that the lack of aggression from Hughie was why he didn't get floored... when Fury started trying to stand with Joe it became quickly obvious he was going to come out worse off.

 

I don't like Parker but he'd beat Whyte, Breazeale, Hammer, and Browne. Not sure who Kownacki is.

 

The guy who just stopped Szpilka.

 

Parker hasn't lived to the hype that's true. But mainly because he hasn't progressed and developed as a fighter at the rate we would of hoped. The talent is still obviously there, he's probably in terms of raw talent a top 3 heavyweight but you can't live off of natural ability alone, the craft of boxing is where he is lacking.

He's improved a little over time. We didn't see the stamina issues in recent fights he had with Takam. He showed better head movement against Fury than I expected, despite being the one constantly pushing forward he didn't get hit much at all. I liked how he was catching Hughie's punches on his gloves, so I think defensively he's improved a bit. But we need to see that defence against a more aggressive opponent to know for sure how much it has improved.

But AJ has surpassed him in regards of development it's clear of the 2 AJ is now the superior and that wasn't so obvious 18 months ago. Joshua has developed his counter punching, learned to not be easily clinched and create space to work at close and mid range. Parker is lacking sorely in these areas. Joshua's jab has also improved a bit and Parker's is non existent as an effective punch, Parker's jab serves no purpose whatsoever he just throws it out of habit, it does nothing.

As for Wilder's progression. He seems to be a bit more disciplined when facing a puncher. His left hook is better than it was which isn't saying much it was garbage before. But like Parker his progression has been painfully slow, he still makes a ton of technical errors.

 

Yeah that was pretty clear. I think it was early in the 9th or 10th when Hughie for the first time threw a real serious combination and sat down on one right hand. He looked more effective offensively when he did that, problem was it allowed Parker to get his combinations off in reply and Hughie quickly went back to his flick, run, arm punch, clinch routine.

 

Parker needs a new trainer, he has the potential, but needs a new trainer, if he gets one, then he will be good heavyweight. Sirenko will be coming up the ladder soon, he has a lot of potential for such and several other Eastern European fighters..............I think he could knock Wilder out right now, but that isn't saying much...................