Joshua walks into the classic from Erik B and Rakim. Will he be Moving The Crowd? We will see…
The noise in The Principality is deafening as Anthony Joshua is announced to the crowd.
The Queen classic ‘Another one bites the dust’ rings out. Will Parker be the next to falter at the hands of ‘AJ’.
PARKER TIME
WBO world heavyweight champion is guided to the ring by the Samoan chiefs.
Cool, calm and collected, Can he shock ‘AJ’?
LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED
It’s a full house here and Michael Buffer is about to announce the two champions into the ring….
WATCHING AND WAITING
Deontay Wilder has promised to be tuning in on Showtime over in the States…
“What I want to happen and what will happen are two different things. I want him to say my name and we will make the fight happen once and for all.”
We’re finally there, Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight unification showdown with Joseph Parker is up next so don’t go anywhere.
The highly-anticipated Anthony Joshua versus New Zealand’s Joseph Parker would go live not earlier than 10.30 p.m.
Already, the Nigerian-born British boxer Anthony Joshua has arrived the 80,000 Capacity Principality stadium in Cardiff, Wales and his big puncher opponent, Parker for the unification bout.
The two unbeaten heavyweights collide for the WBA, WBO and IBF titles atop a packed bill of boxing in Cardiff that also features the likes of Anthony Crolla, David Price, Joe Cordina and Joshua Buatsi.
A victory tonight would pave the way for Joshua to face undefeated American Deontay.
Ahead of the bout Joshua had said he must “simplify the madness” of the most-anticipated fight of 2018 when he meets Joseph Parker in Cardiff on Saturday.
A leaner and lighter Joshua weighed in some six pounds heavier than Joseph Parker. He is also taller and with a six inch reach advantage over Parker, who brings his WBO belt to the Principality Stadium the unification fight.
in some six pounds heavier than Joseph Parker. He is also taller and with a six inch reach advantage over Parker, who brings his WBO belt to the Principality Stadium the unification fight.
READY FOR THE BIG ONE
Boxing great Sugar Ray Leonard looks ahead to tonight’s main event.
“I like what Anthony Joshua represents, he is a great champion and very good for the sport.
“He is calm and collected. He is a champion and that’s what it is all about.”
PARKER PRIMED AND READY
Getting his hands wrapped, Joseph Parker in confident mood.
“I feel great, we are relaxed and just chilling out.
“I’m very confident in what I can do in the ring.
“I’m ready to put in a great performance.
“I feel it is my time to make my mark on the world and the heavyweight division.”
Dan Matthews at Principality Stadium writes: ‘Massive cheers at the Principality as AJ appears on the big screen. The IBF and WBA king is having his hands wrapped, while Burnett continues to outclass Parejo.’
Joseph Parker has attracted plenty of interest today. Seventy-four per cent of bets placed today have been for a Parker win. He is 6/1 to win tonight.
The bigger stakes are being placed on Joshua (1/7) and one punter has bet £1,500 that Joshua will win in the fifth round.
If you think a draw is on the cards then you can get odds of 40/1.
Breaking: Joshua wins Parker
118-110 (two judges) 119-109.
Anthony Joshua beats Joseph Parker on points
Joshua is unbeaten from 21 professional fights, 21 wins, 20 inside the distance.
Joshua calls for a fight with Wilder straight away in his interview.
One more belt for Joshua
That means Anthony Joshua now holds the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO world heavyweight titles.
Only Deontay Wilder’s WBC belt is stopping the Englishman from having the full set.
Let’s hope those two get in the ring together very soon.
After the match he said,
I want Wilder or Fury – Joshua
“Who do you want next if you could have your pick?”
“Wilder. Or Fury.” That’s the immediate answer from the champion.
Considering Tyson Fury has not fought in two years then that is not going to happen any time soon. Wilder it is then, if the American wants it, of course.
Round 12
For the first time in Anthony Joshua’s career, one of his fights goes the distance. We go to the three judges.
Body shots from Joshua in the 12th. But Parker is still there.
Anthony Joshua looks at his corner, seemingly in a happy mood. Two minutes left for Parker to find that magical, life-changing moment.
Round 11
We are into new territory for Anthony Joshua. No matter what happens, Joseph Parker has done better than any of the other 20 men to have faced Joshua. I still think Parker needs a knockout to get his arm raised though.
How much does both man have left in the tank?
Round 11
No Anthony Joshua fight has ever got past 11 rounds.
Round 10
Parker has never been stopped, and the fact he didn’t collapse after that left from Joshua shows us why. The New Zealander certainly has a chin on him. Will that frustrate Joshua into making a costly mistake?
Getty Images
Round 9
Anthony Joshua is unhappy about the heads coming together. It was as Parker dived in with a wild left and a wild right. Neither really landed. The head did. But no cuts from either man afterwards.
Reuters
Round 8
A good spell this from Joseph Parker. Anthony Joshua has slowed down from his earlier good rounds.
But just then, just as I am writing that Joshua dives in and lands a powerful left jab and then a right hook. The referee is being a bit fussy and not letting them get too close and fight but nevertheless that is a good moment for Joshua.
Getty Images
Round 7
“Five rounds to finish sharp,” says Rob McCracken, Anthony Joshua’s trainer.
Parker is a hard nut to crack
Anthony Joshua v Joseph Parker
Michael Pearlman
BBC Sport Wales at the Principality Stadium
Easy to see now why Parker has never been on the floor as a professional boxer isn’t it? Win, lose or draw, he’s already proving he has quite the chin
Round 7
A decent body shot from Parker, but we are seeing the occasional punch land from either fighter, not a sustained series of attacks.
“Stay focused, please,” is the call from Parker’s corner to their man.
EPA
Round 7
A quieter start to round seven. Remember, Joseph Parker has never been knocked down and this is his 25th professional contest.
An uppercut from Anthony Joshua and it is a bit late. Both men get a talking to and Parker is not too impressed.
‘Best round so far’
Anthony Joshua v Joseph Parker
Mike Costello
BBC Sport boxing correspondent at the Principality Stadium
The best round of the fight so far, success for both men in the exchanges. We saw why Joseph Parker has never been floored by an amateur or professional.
He was under attack but responded with a brilliant foray of his own.
Round 6
I’d say this has been Joseph Parker’s best round of the contest. He looks like a man who is growing in confidence. We are getting into the business end now. Six rounds gone, halfway through the fight. Both men have a good idea of what the other one can do, the fireworks may be coming and coming very, very soon.
Round 6
Parker is trying to make something happen, but Joshua is still the dominant force, in the middle of the ring, trying to back his opponent on to the ropes. A looping right from Parker, but he is too far away. Better this round from the New Zealander though.
Round 6
Wild swings from Parker, he then sprints after Joshua. A change in gameplan for Parker?
Are we seeing signs that Joshua’s power is starting to grind down Parker?
The New Zealander is banking on stamina working in his favour, yet his pace seemed to significantly slow in the fourth round and he seems to be trying to force the pace more in the fifth and even box on the inside.
That’s problematic in the sense that Joshua’s power shots are going to take a toll if Parker continues to come forward.
Parker has landed some big shots, but it seems certain his camp are going to regret those “AJ has a glass jaw,” comments, because he’s taken everything so far.
‘Parker weary of Joshua’s power’
Round 5: Anthony Joshua v Joseph Parker
Mike Costello
BBC Sport boxing correspondent at the Principality Stadium
Joshua’s jab is proving significant. Allowing him to control from the middle of the ring. Parker is wary of the power and spending much of his time on the back foot.
Round 5
A short left lands flush on the face of Joseph Parker. He takes the shot, but it is yet more encouragement for Joshua and the home fans.
Round 4
One ungainly moment from Parker in the third as he seems to move in, and they only just avoid a clash of heads. Joshua was cut in his last fight against Carlos Takam but both men seem to have avoiding doing any damage with that exchange.
Round 3
Joshua, for the first time, goes really on the offensive. Parker holds and quickly gets himself out of there, a sign of Joshua feeling that he is happy with his work so far.
Round 3
Into round three we go. Parker struggling to land in the opening seven minutes of this one. Parker forced back on to the ropes into another evasive manoeuvre.
Round 2
Anthony Joshua is doing a good job of keeping his man at bay. And then throws a powerful one. It is unsuccessful, but round two is very much a frustrating one for the New Zealander. He can’t get close. Joshua’s round. He boxed beautifully in that round.
PA
Round 1
A left hook from Joshua is partially blocked, he then varies it up by throwing a right to the body. Another left hook from the Englishman but luckily for Parker he sees it coming, dances back on his heels and, rather wisely, gets out of the way of it.
“Keep him working and make him miss with the punches” says Joshua’s trainer Rob McCracken.
A close first round.
Round 1
Joseph Parker aims to land some damage into the Joshua midriff, he looks quick on his feet, but remember Joshua is much lighter than he was against Carlos Takam last time out.
AJ ON FIRE
Joshua makes his way on to a platform, still nowhere near the ring, a bit of shadow boxing before relaising he may need to get to the ring.
Thousands of lights are shown from fans trying to capture the moment on their phones and it is no surprise, this is spectacular.
A pyrotechnic show greets Joshua as he marches into the stadium…