Joshua vs Parker Heavyweight Odds – This Saturday night sees Anthony Joshua (20-0) and Joseph Parker (24-0) meet to unite three of the four major heavyweight boxing world titles. Joshua is bringing the IBF and WBA belts to the fight while Parker owns the WBO world title. WBC world champion Deontay Wilder awaits the winner.
One should not overlook how big a star Anthony Joshua already is in his native England. The fight this Saturday takes place at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium and will go down in front of 80,000 people. For Joshua, this is going to be the third fight in a row he fights in a soccer stadium, so he is comfortably growing into boxing’s top “A” lister.
For Parker that means he is fighting more than just Joshua. The atmosphere and all the pressure of fight week will definitely test Parker’s mental state.
The Friday weigh-ins are must see viewing for this fight. Joshua will have height and reach advantages, and in his last fight he came in at 254 pounds. For this fight the word is that Joshua has tightened up and he will come in somewhere in the 240’s. A fitter, trimmer Joshua may be another bad sign for Parker.
Parker is young and fit however, and one question that is open is which of the two fighters have the faster hands. Parker’s best bet may be the old “bum rush.” Coming right up the middle on Joshua and striking first, the New Zealander’s puncheshave to land and he has to make them count. At the end of the day, Joshua’s chin has been dented as an amateur and he has been down as a pro as well. Parker must feel that Klitschko didn’t throw enough punches in trying to taking out a hurt Joshua when Wladimir faced the Brit. Joshua was hurt but survived over a minute to get to the end of the round. The veteran Klitschko hunted the one big punch that never came. If Parker gets a chance like that, he must make the most of it.
Since winning his WBO belt against American Andy Ruiz, Parker has faced maudlin opposition and he has not had a signature win that one can talk about. If he breaks through this weekend all that will change and everyone will be talking about Joseph Parker.
More heavyweight action on the undercard as former gold medal Olympian Alexander Povekin faces England’s David Price. Considering the types of knock outs Price has experienced in his losses one wonders how the British Boxing Board of Control could even make this match. HOpefully Price is not on the receiving end of another frightening KO. Look for Povetkin to win, which means he will be heavily lobbying to get the winner of Joshua v Parker.
Promoter Eddie Hearn has a big card in support of his main event. Below are the odds for six of the fights. In typical Hearn fashion, there is not a single competitive line on the card, so enjoy the matches, as the outcomes are practically pre-determined with this type of matchmaking.
Principality Stadium – Cardiff, Wales – Showtime – Joshua vs Parker Heavyweight Odds
Heavyweight 12 rounds –
Joseph Parker +600 o8½ +145
Anthony Joshua -900 u8½ -165
Heavyweight 12 rounds –
David Price +1300 o4½ +105
Alexander Povetkin -2150 u4½ -135
Bantamweight 12 rounds –
Yonfrez Parejo +1700 o8½ -245
Ryan Burnett -3400 u8½ +185
Welterweight 10 rounds –
Carlos Molina +2000 o7½ -185
Josh Kelly -4000 u7½ +155
Lightweight 10 rounds –
Andy Townend +1150
Joe Cordina -1800
Lightweight 10 rounds –
Edson Ramirez +1250
Anthony Crolla -2375
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