Tyson Fury showed his support for Joseph Parker after the New Zealander stunned Deontay Wilder to ruin the American’s chances of a huge $100million payday with Anthony Joshua.
Former WBO heavyweight world champion Parker was at his very best to outbox Wilder and beat the Bronze Bomber via an unanimous decision with the judges’ scoring it 118-111, 118-110 and 120-108. Following the victory, Parker opted to thank training partner Fury, with the pair having formed a friendship.
Parker explained that prior to the fight, Fury had issued some advice on how to get the better of Wilder. The Gypsy King won two fights in his trilogy with Wilder and whatever he told Parker clearly worked a treat.
” Tyson Fury gave us his time with sparring and was massively important,” Parker revealed. “A lot of respect to Wilder, a dangerous and tough fight but we trained very hard for this. Everyone had other plans, but this was God’s plan. The strategy was to stay calm and relaxed, switched on for every second.”
Fury seemed happy with the result and the 35-year-old took to Instagram to express his delight. He posted a picture of a triumphant Parker being held aloft on the shoulders of his team following the win.
Defeat for Wilder plunges the prospect of a huge showdown with Joshua into doubt, with AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn slamming Wilder after the defeat. “I said in the build-up I don’t rate him,” he claimed. “Wilder had no idea, no clue. He lost every round.
“He had his hand up telling the referees he won the fight. He’s not right. That’s the reality. It was the most one-sided heavyweight fight I’ve ever seen. It’s ruined our plans.”
Joshua, who beat Otto Wallin later on in the night, didn’t seem to be singing from the same hymn sheet mind, and made clear he feels a showdown with Wilder could still happen. “I wasn’t watching, I was just focusing on myself for the whole fight week,” he explained.
“I knew how important this fight was to me. I heard Deontay lost, so what. He will come back. Everything Deontay said about me, I could rip him apart right now but I’m going to take the high ground and I hope he comes back. You can do anything just don’t give up, if he wants he can come back and fight another day.”
Joshua won his bout in convincing fashion, with Wallin’s corner stopping the fight after the fifth round. Following the fight, promoter Hearn said his star is most likely going to face Croatian Filip Hrgovic for a vacant IBF world title in his search to become a three-time world champion.