Zach Parker expressed strong dissatisfaction with the judges’ decision that cost him a victory against Joshua Buatsi, lamenting that it could impact his children’s future. The light-heavyweight bout took place in Manchester, where Parker showcased dominant performance over the Olympic bronze medalist Buatsi on Saturday night.
Parker effectively frustrated his opponent, Buatsi, who struggled to counter his tactics. Throughout the 10-round fight, Buatsi found it challenging to adjust to Parker’s strategy, resorting to a plodding approach while Parker continually outmaneuvered him and utilized holding tactics to disrupt Buatsi’s rhythm.
Despite Buatsi showing some improvement in the middle rounds, Parker was widely seen as the clear victor. Surprisingly, the judges’ decision did not align with the fight’s dynamics, as one judge scored it a draw while the other two favored Buatsi by a narrow margin.
The outcome left Parker visibly emotional, on the brink of tears, as he believed he had convincingly won the fight. He expressed frustration, emphasizing that he should have secured the victory, which would have significantly impacted his family’s future. Parker confidently stated that he had outboxed Buatsi and should have been declared the champion based on his performance.
On the other hand, Buatsi, who recently rebounded from his first career loss to Callum Smith, defended his victory, acknowledging that it was not his best performance but highlighting the importance of securing the win. Buatsi criticized Parker’s holding tactics during the fight, emphasizing the significance of winning regardless of the style of play.
Looking ahead, Buatsi aims to challenge the winner of Anthony Yarde’s upcoming world title fight with David Benavidez in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, controversy arose earlier in the event when Liam Cameron was awarded the victory over Troy Jones, despite Jones dominating significant portions of the fight.
Eddie Hearn, the promoter, disclosed potential dates for Anthony Joshua’s return to the ring as an undercard fighter. Joshua, who has been inactive since his defeat by Daniel Dubois over a year ago, may feature in a card scheduled for either California on December 13 or Riyadh on December 27. Hearn also hinted at a possible matchup between Joshua and Jake Paul before Christmas, as the social media personality seeks a new opponent following allegations against Gervonta Davis.
