Parker Retains, But Scores Questionable
One week after Adalaide Byrd scored a 118-110 decision in the Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin bout. Another judges’ scoring may have overshadowed and altered the result of a fight, as Joseph Parker successfully retained his WBO Heavyweight Championship against Hughie Fury by way of majority decision.
The fight started with Parker trying to cut off the ring quickly, while Fury was trying to hold off Parker when in close. Fury then spent the next two rounds moving around the ring while utilizing his jab to keep Parker at bay.
An accidental clash of heads opened up a cut on Fury in the fourth, but Fury continued to move and landed a nice uppercut on the champion. Parker closed the distance a bit in the fifth and landed some shots, though they didn’t seem to hurt Fury that much. Parker was also warned for coming in with the head.
After a sixth round that saw each fighter take half of the round, the seventh saw Fury still moving around while Parker worked the body. Parker pushed the pace in the eighth, swinging wildly. Fury went back to the jab in the ninth, while Parker worked on the inside.
The tenth round went back into Fury’s favor, as Parker missed quite a few of his punches, while Fury landing punches in some spots. The action in the last two rounds was back in forth, with the 11th seeing both men push the pace, while in the 12th they fired away.
One judge scored the bout 114-114, but two of the other judges ruled the bout 118-110 in Parker’s favor, the same score that Byrd gave Alvarez last week.
And once again, the reactions on Twitter came out. This time, however, there was much more debate as to if the scores should’ve been closer, while others expressed the fight as boring.
Wide scoring 118-110 twice & 114-114 for @joeboxerparker to retain WBO title vs @hughiefury #ParkerFury close rounds -but awarded aggression
— Gareth A Davies (@GarethADaviesDT) September 23, 2017
#ParkerFury Seemed closer than 118-110. Pretty boring fight, clash of styles. Right decision though, you can’t win a title by running.
— فاطمة بنت بلال (@Ghorawara22) September 23, 2017
AJ be watching the fight like… #ParkerVsFury #ParkerFury pic.twitter.com/J9t9MSO0ah
— Sukvir Gill (@Sukky_G) September 23, 2017
Dark forces reign once more. #ParkerFury
— Je suis Zeuge (@tj_cummings) September 23, 2017
Nope. No way. Sorry. No scorecard is going to make me think about #ParkerFury for a single additional second. Not today #boxing
— Jonathan Snowden (@JESnowden) September 23, 2017
I scored the fight a draw. 118-110 wow but I can say boxing is subjective and them close rounds can go to Parker. I’m not screaming robbery
— Be Real TV (@BeRealTV) September 23, 2017
You are rubbish @joeboxerparker please make this fight @EddieHearn @SkySportsBoxing #RUNBISH
— Dillian Whyte (@DillianWhyte) September 23, 2017