Joe Parker… Clay vs Liston III
It’s a little over six years since I first witnessed Joseph Parker, out point number three ranked Andy Ruiz 29-0, to win the WBO World title previously vacated by Tyson Fury.
A twelve round bout displaying the “Sweet Science”. The taller, leaner Parker using his jab to keep a distance and set the pace against a short, experienced, and explosive puncher with knockout power in Andy Ruiz.
Coached by world renowned trainer Kevin Barry (1984 Olympic Silver Medalist after defeating Evander Holyfield, to move on to the finals), who also took Knockout King, David Tua 52-5, to challenge Lennox Lewis then 37-1 for the IBF, IBO, WBC, Unified World titles.
The strategy that Kevin Barry implemented with Parker was “old school” yet favorable for the 6 foot 4 inch Joseph Parker. Keep the right hand up, use your jab, and stay on the outside. However, This style of boxing, is only appealing to boxing pugilist, who don’t mind a heavyweight twelve round bout.
Therein lies the problem. You see, the public isn’t interested in twelve round heavyweight bouts, and it reflects in PPV buys. Like David Tua, Mike Tyson, Deontay Wilder, George Forman, the public buys PPVs based on the electricity created when one fighter can end a bout at any given moment.
This led Joseph Parker to perceive his career as dead, despite only losing a unanimous decision to Anthony Joshua 23-3, who was later knocked out by Andy Ruiz. Parker’s only other loss under Coach Barry was another twelve round unanimous decision against Dillion Whyte, who went on to lose by TKO to Tyson Fury in Wembley Stadium.
In desperation for brighter lights, bigger venues, and even greater purses, Joseph Parker opted to leave Future Hall of Fame Trainer Kevin Barry, and hire Tyson Fury appointed trainer, former Middleweight World Champion Andy Lee 35-3.
Despite Andy Lee having less of a knockout percentage, Joseph Parker wanted to transform his lean, boxer physique, into a heavier, inside fighter. This proved to be a mistake when Joseph Parker faced off with Knockout Artist Joe Joyce, 271lbs, 14-0 with a 90% ko rate.
If there was a time in a man’s life, not to make the wrong decision, this was it. Joseph Parker, who came into the bout 10 pounds heavier than when he became a World Champion, and only having a knockout rate of 61%, felt he needed to knockout the younger, stronger, heavier Joyce.
Could you imagine Angelo Dundee, longtime Cassius Clay trainer, have Clay come in for the Sonny Liston bout, not only 10 pounds heavier, but also have Clay going for the knockout in the early rounds against the most feared Boxer of his time? I didn’t think so. If there was a slight way to win this impossible fight, it would be to jab n move for as much as possible and if Sonny were to get inside, Clay would need to grab, smother and make it uncomfortable for Liston.
At the end of 12 rounds. We’d hope to pile up enough points from clean shots that we could edge out a win. Let’s suppose we didn’t get the points at the end of 12, well, we would still have a fighter who didn’t take on punishment, which lowers a boxers career.
That brings me to last weekend’s bout against Joe Joyce. A heavier, slower Joseph Parker, lacking the jab and lateral movement, was slept by a left hook from Joyce, when sleepy Joe Parker, had his right hand hanging too low to defend himself from the hook.
These are the type of knockouts that some fighters never make it back from. At a point of the fight, I didn’t see Joseph Parker, I seen Andy Lee in the ring, one eye open, all the odds against him, still looking for one shot to get back into game. Unfortunately, the outcome of both fighters came in the form of a crushing left hook that ended the night. A result of punching with a puncher, hooking with a hooker. These are secrets held by old school trainer like Emanuel Steward (Former Andy Lee trainer), and Kevin Barry.
