“Pressure’s Off — I’ll Shock Joseph Parker”

Fabio Wardley says the “pressure is off” of him with the oddsmakers making him the underdog for Saturday’s fight against Joseph Parker on the O2 Arena in London.

The eight-year pro Wardley (19-0-1, 18 KOs) has grown accustomed to being the favourite in his fights. So, it’s a fresh experience for him to are available because the underdog.

Parker the Favorite

WBO interim heavyweight champion Parker (36-3, 24 KOs) is viewed because the more technically expert fighter, and looked noticeably improved in his last three fights. He began his profession as a raw puncher in 2012, but he’s learned rather a lot since teaming up with Andy Lee in March 2021.

“All of them have me because the underdog, which is kind of refreshing to me. It’s been a protracted time since I’ve been at that end of the stick. The pressure is off of me,” said Fabio Wardley to talkSport Boxing about him being an underdog for his fight against Joseph Parker on Saturday.

Parker is a -350 favorite to defeat Wardley. The oddsmakers are going by the experience that the previous WBO heavyweight champion Parker possesses, fighting top-level opposition, like Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte. The 33-year-old Parker has been a professional for 13 years. That makes him a known commodity for the bettors.

Wardley’s power, hand speed, intelligence, and youth give him an actual probability on this fight. If he can force Parker into exchanges, it’ll favor him on account of his speed and power. Fabio will still need chin, though, because Parker can bang.

Exploiting Weak Points

“I do know where Joe has his weak points, and I’m looking to use them on Saturday night. It’s a really obvious carrot that’s being dangled ahead of me and Joe. It’s the fight. It’s the largest fight in boxing,” said Wardley a couple of fight against undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk if he’s victorious against Parker.

There’s plenty of money for the winner of Parker vs. Wardley to make when certainly one of them challenges Usyk for his 4 belts in 2026. Daniel Dubois earned an estimated $71.2 million fighting Usyk of their rematch on July 19, 2025. Imagine what Wardley could make fighting Usyk. It might be huge in comparison with what he’s been making for his fights.

“It’s distracting but hugely motivating as well. I’m going to place every part in me on the road because I’m inches away from a world title shot,” said Wardley.

Fabio Wardley – Final Take: The Bookies Got It Backward This Time

It’s going to be doubly hard for Parker to fight someone with as much hunger and ambition as Wardley has. Parker’s last three opponents fought like they didn’t possess that very same hunger to win that Fabio has immediately.

That’s going to be hard for Joseph to regulate to, as he faces someone with a powerful will to win on Saturday. Parker could fold like he did in his Eleventh-round knockout loss to Joe Joyce on September 24, 2022.