Parker-Takam - Winner gets AJ - Sky Sports 3 - 11am UK

[ross]

Last round good! Both throwing and landing but a bit messy and Takams left it too late!

[ross]

Parkers fight.

He needs to face another tough contender yet before he gets anywhere near a title. Needs to learn to move his head and feet and not load up on everything.

Takam is going nowhere and when Hughie is over his acne/immune system problem Takam would be perfect for him.

[Primo Carnera]

Parker wouldn't be able to cope with AJ. He boxes well at times but shows his inexperience under pressure. He gets hit too easily and despite the fact it went 12 rounds I've got doubts about his stamina.
It's one thing doing 12 rounds when you can go for a little walk or take a round or two off, but when you are constantly either applying or under pressure, it's a different story.
I know some people will say the same about AJ, but he has freakish power and I don't see him having to go 12 that often. I'm not saying he may not ko'd himself at some stage, but that's HW Boxing.

[Andre]

[superheavyrhun]

Having had a chance to think about the fight a little, I'm seeing a few of the bad habits in Parker that kind of annoyed me a little when Tyson Fury used to fight a few years ago. He turns his back and walks away at times, which is disrespectful, and he has a habit of backing off with his chin up in the air.

I definitely wouldn't put Parker in with AJ yet, Dilian Whyte might be an interesting bout as an undercard to something over here, or even Tony Thompson or someone of that ilk.

[X]

parker will have learned more from that fight than he did in all of his other fights put together.

It's those tough ten/twelve rounders against seasoned, wily veterans that provide the real schooling to young prospects. Tyson went the full distance with Quick Tillis on the way up and he has always said it was one of his best learning fights.

Joshua has never had a learning fight, and he is now a titleholder. I hope that doesn't leave an unfixable gap in his boxing education.

[ross]

I think Parkers stamina is fine.

I also think he believed his own hype that hes a massive puncher, even the British commentators kept referring to his big power. I dont think he is such a big puncher. Minto lasted longer with Parker than he did against Whyte.

He threw the kitchen sink at Takam and was loading up on everythng thinking he could get a hi light stoppage and burnt himself out early.

He didnt look ready for a belt holder but at the same time if Joshua had fought Takam I dont think he wouldnt have looked any better.

This gives his whole team a chance to reassess where he is.

Iv already mentioned this but getting him in Furys camp as a sparring partner would do him wonders. He looked today like someone whos never been punched back and to be far he hasnt.

Hearn will want a fight between Parker and Joshua because Parker didnt look great but I dont think this fight proved that Parker is not very good I think it just proved he cant fight a world rated challenger the same way he fights domestic level journeymen.

[Dia bando]

Whyte will be to much for Parker what I have seen of Whyte he is the 3rd best HW in this Country,
Parker is not bad but AJ will stop him in about 6 rounds, interesting times ahead in the HW division
about time it's been shit for some time.

[superheavyrhun]

Tidy little fight, Parker showed his highlight reel stuff for rounds 2-4, and for the rest of it it was fairly sporadic. I had Parker ahead by 116-112.

Scores on the doors:
116-112
116-112
115-113

Personally I thought Parker showed some good stuff, but I'm not sure he's going to want to go straight into a fight with AJ. Another couple of quality gatekeepers would do him a lot of good.