The reviews are in, and the world's boxing websites are unimpressed with the Joseph Parker vs Hughie Fury WBO heavyweight clash. They are also united in believing Parker won't unify the division.
Joseph Parker had identified his WBO heavyweight title defence against Hughie Fury as a launch pad to announce himself as one of the very best in the world.
Unfortunately he struggled to make his mark against an awkward opponent and despite gaining a majority decision win - his performance has been panned by boxing scribes around the globe.
Fightnews.com
"Parker tried to get inside with limited success and didn't cut off the ring well. Neither fighter landed many big shots in a rather disappointing contest. Judges awarded Parker's aggressiveness over Fury's backpedalling."
BoxingScene.com
"The scoring reflected the wildly split opinions at ringside with Parker's ponderous front-foot action contrasting with Fury's bid to claim the title on the back foot.
"Parker continued to land the most eye-catching efforts and despite the Fury camp's vehement complaints to the contrary, it was hard to argue with the New Zealander retaining his title after a largely forgettable contest. Anthony Joshua won't be losing any sleep."
Tom Gray (The Ring)
"Parker, who is rated No. 5 by The Ring at heavyweight, looked lacklustre for most of the 12 rounds and Fury was on his bike throughout. As a result, the fight failed to deliver and the Manchester crowd had little reason to get excited.
"The 25-year-old boxer-puncher has plenty of physical tools but he switches off in fights as evidenced by his awful showing against late-replacement Razvan Cojanu in May. This performance was also unconvincing.
"Anthony Joshua or Deontay Wilder, should they win their upcoming fights, could be lucrative options going forward. Parker, however, must refine his game if he is to be given a serious chance of defeating either man."
Robert Ecksel (Boxing.com)
"It was a lacklustre fight by most accounts. Neither fighter nor performance was of championship calibre.
"Both men were careful to a fault. Hughie used his height and speed to his advantage. Fighting behind the jab, he was landing on the outside, just enough to steal some rounds. Parker landed some shots of his own amidst the lunging, but nothing one could mistake as being meaningful."
"I seriously doubt that Anthony Joshua will lose any sleep at the prospect of fighting either man."
Matt Christie (boxingnewsonline)
"Out of the ring since April last year, Fury opened exceptionally sharply. On his toes and pinging out his jab, he made Parker look clumsy as the New Zealander swung and missed with alarming regularity.
"The feeling at the end was that Hughie's superior skillset had done enough and, at the final bell, Fury instinctively threw his arms into the air while Parker needed more persuasion to celebrate.
"In the end, though, it was Parker who retained his title but again failed to impress."
Newshub.
