Joseph Parker vs Hughie Fury: No Dramas, Still The Champ
The biggest irony of this whole fight was that the referee who David Higgins was so annoyed at the appointment of ended up getting swapped with one of the judges as a compromise (a weak one – it still meant no neutral ref) and old mate Terry O’Connor, in his alternate judging duties, went and scored the fight 118-110 to Joseph Parker. So much for that whole conspiracy then.
So the fight went off without a single hitch then, sweet as? Haha, mate. Don’t be silly. This was Duco against Hennessy Sports. This was Kevin Barry against Peter Fury. This was Joseph Parker against Hughie Fury… okay spare Joe the limelight in that convo, he yapped off at the weigh-in but it was Hughie who got handsy. Nothing that we’re not used to in boxing – in fact it played off almost as fake as the David Higgins press conference interruption. The fight itself was always gonna have a wrinkle or two and they came in the form of the scorecard.
That’s the thing with boxing: unless you put a sucker on the canvas then fights can appear pretty ambiguous. It’s really easy to see what you want to see. Hughie Fury was coming into this one after 17 months out of the professional ring – his last proper fight was three weeks before Joseph Parker fought Carlos Takam and Joe has gone 43 rounds for five wins in the intervening time. Hughie may be a couple inches taller but he weighed in 5kgs lighter than Parker (who in turn was slightly lighter than he was for his last two bouts). You had a decent indication of what was to come from those figures already.
See, Fury might be short on experience and recent ring form but he’s also a pretty pedigreed bloke with a great work ethic and a superb technique. Like his cousin he’s an awkward one to throw up against. Problem is he’s not got much power in his punches. Parker doesn’t have the footwork of Hughie Fury but he destroys him for hand-speed and he does at least have enough strength to rustle him. That’s supposing he’d be able to hit him, of course.
The first round set the pattern for what was to follow. Parker launched in on a quick assault at the body of Fury and Fury retreated to the ropes to draw him in. Clinch. Separated. Then Fury circled some more, showing Parker that left shoulder but keeping his own left glove waving about between them. Parker stalked him around before launching in again for a few nullified swings. Fury threw a counter punch or two at Parker’s kidneys. Clinch. Separated. That was pretty much how it went.
Hughie’s best punches were all cheeky upper cuts popped in there as Parker closed in to strike. A great counter weapon, and he was pretty accurate with them, but they also didn’t seem to really rock Joe. In fact Parker never looked hurt at all, not by anything that Fury had to throw at him. On the other hand Parker did look like he could hurt Fury if he could get at him but Fury’s defence was too tight and. when Parker did launch in close, it was hard to get anything to land before the clinch took hold.
Which makes for a really tough fight to judge. Perhaps you could look at all Joe’s frustrated swings as missing while Hughie’s gentle counters peppered him for points or perhaps you look at Joe being the aggressor in the fight while Hughie backed off and rolled on the ropes and reward the kiwi for that. You can see that dilemma on the final cards with two judges calling it ten rounds to two in favour of Parker while the other called it dead even. Not a GGG-Canelo degree of judging contrasts but still strange.
The reality was probably somewhere in the middle, although it was closer to being 10-2 than it was to letting Fury get his hands on that belt (other than his crony who tried to steal it – shout out to Peter Fury for returning the goods). The first four rounds or so were pretty close and it’s definitely possible to make a case for Fury in all four but a quick start in the first as well as a big flurry late in the fourth from Smokin’ Joe more likely means he was, at worst, level after four. After which he found a decent if frustrated rhythm.
Fury got in some early ones in the seventh and managed to nullify most of the rest of the round by staying evasive (the exact word his dad kept using). Count him that one and give him the tenth too where he was able to cop Parker one off balance on the ropes along with a few firm jabs towards the noggin. If the fight was still there to be won in the last two rounds, and according to two judges it wasn’t but whatever, then Fury didn’t do much to up the ante. That coupled with his celebration at the end suggested he thought he’d got it in the bag.
If you did give Hughie the first four then that explains how you can end it as a draw but those out there arguing that Fury won this by a few spare rounds don’t make a lot of sense. You can’t spend 12 rounds backing up and let your opponent leave without a scratch and call that a victory, surely. Yet you do need to sympathise with Peter Fury and his lad – they were so damn close. That exact fight plan could have led him to glory had he only been a little less cautious, letting that right hand fly loose like Peter was asking.
Joseph Parker didn’t celebrate like he’d won… but then that’s not really his style and that shouldn’t be assumed as Parker thinking he’d let it slip. Parker at his best? Nah, we’re still waiting for that. But it’s still another test that he’s come through with despite it all. Fighting in England for the first time against a non-partial crowd, dealing with the many hiccups in the lead up to this fight, taking on an unconventional fighter capable of taking most of his punches. Check, check, check.
Parker tends to fight on the front foot in all his bouts – and this isn’t the first time it’s helped him on the cards – though chasing around a guy like this was something new. Cojanu stifled him but he didn’t run. Ruiz slugged back on the regular. Takam simply absorbed punches like the air that he breathes.
Hughie Fury though, he made him miss. He gave him something new to deal with. Peter Fury’s already calling for a rematch but you’d imagine if they fought again it’d still be Parker with more room to improve. Gotta respect Hughie for the fight that he fought except that while he can box with the best of them… he can’t punch. Not bad at all for a 23 year old having been out of the ring for almost a year and a half however. It’ll be exciting to see what he does next.
As to what Joe Parker does next, that’s a matter for the coming days. Right now his focus will turn to the upcoming bouts between Anthony Joshua and Kubrat Pulev as well as the salivating prospect of Deontay Wilder vs Luis Ortiz. Should be good, aye.
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