Zach Parker expressed strong dissatisfaction with the judges’ decision that awarded Joshua Buatsi the win, claiming it jeopardized his children’s future. Parker, a light-heavyweight fighter, showcased dominance over Buatsi, an Olympic bronze medalist, in their match held in Manchester over the weekend.
Throughout the fight, Parker effectively frustrated Buatsi, who struggled to counter Parker’s strategic moves. Despite Buatsi’s slight improvement in the middle rounds, Parker maintained clear control and outperformed his opponent. Surprisingly, all three judges disagreed with Parker’s assessment, with one scoring the fight as a draw and the other two favoring Buatsi by a narrow margin.
The outcome left Parker visibly emotional, on the brink of tears, as he vehemently expressed his disappointment, stating that he believed he convincingly won the fight. He emphasized that the decision had a direct impact on the well-being of his children, emphasizing that he should have been declared the champion based on his performance.
In contrast, Buatsi, rebounding from a previous defeat, acknowledged his performance was not his best but highlighted the importance of securing a victory. He criticized Parker’s defensive tactics, emphasizing the excessive holding and claiming that such tactics did not align with true championship behavior.
Looking ahead, Buatsi now aims to challenge the winner of the upcoming world title fight between Anthony Yarde and David Benavidez in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, controversy arose earlier in the event when Liam Cameron was declared the winner over Troy Jones, despite Jones dominating significant portions of the fight.
Furthermore, boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has earmarked potential return dates for Anthony Joshua, considering adding him to an upcoming undercard event. Joshua, who has been absent from the ring since his defeat by Daniel Dubois, may feature in a card scheduled for California on December 13 or in Riyadh on December 27. Hearn also hinted at a possible match-up between Joshua and Jake Paul before the Christmas holiday, as Paul seeks a new opponent following allegations against Gervonta Davis.