Wardley topples Parker to keep his incredible run alive

Fabio Wardley punched Joseph Parker to a standstill and salvaged another lost cause late on Saturday night at the O2.

- STEVE BUNCE

Wardley was trailing on two of the three scorecards going into the 11th round of a bruising fight, but that situation is now becoming normal in his extraordinary career. He was losing the fight heavily, forget the drawn third scorecard.

It had been a brutal heavyweight fight up until the end at 1:54 of the 11th, and both men had been hurt, staggered, stunned and in distress several times before the final chilling moments. It was over, dreams were broken, dreams were made and Wardley’s ridiculous journey continued.

There was a growing attempt after midnight to boldly claim that the stoppage by Howard Foster, the referee, was too early. The evidence of outrage was gathered after the moment, after the final seconds, when Foster lunged between Wardley’s fists and Parker’s head. The referee, in a fight with that much intensity, has to make an instant decision at times, and it could change lives. If he makes a bad decision, a late decision, it could cost lives.

Foster went in, Parker was not throwing back and Wardley was letting his hands go. Parker did seem fine once he was rescued and Wardley was missing with some punches, but enough were bouncing off Parker’s head to make it, in my opinion, a good stoppage.

The end - and all attempts to make it controversial - should not take anything away from Wardley’s win, Parker’s role in a classic fight and a night that was wonderful for the sport.