New Zealand’s former world heavyweight champion Joseph Parker started with real authority against Simon Kean and continued in that manner to drop and stop the Canadian in the third round to score an impressive win.
The time of the stoppage came after 2 minutes and 4 seconds and Parker, who has won three fights since losing to Joe Joyce in September last year, now wants a big fight.
“We knew that Simon was going to step up to the challenge and put the work in and he was tough until we landed that shot in the end,” said Parker.
“We’ve got a fight in December, hopefully back here. I’ve loved it out here and it would be awesome to come back out here and have another win.”
Parker started working the jab early and mixed up his attacks to the head and body. Kean was looking tense and to try to load up too much, and Parker picked up some points and landed a meaningful right hand that caused Kean to back up.
The more experienced Parker was looking relaxed and at ease and Kean’s workrate slowed through the second.
Parker was fluid, at times able to help himself to shots, while Kean was wild and rugged. The third was messy until Parker threw a right uppercut behind a jab.
Parker knew the shot had made a dent in Kean. The Canadian tried to fight back, even beckoning Parker in, but Parker then threw the same shots, a jab and a right uppercut, and Kean tumbled to the canvas, where referee Bob Williams waved it off. There was plenty on finesse in the finish.
Andy Lee-trained Parker, still only 31 but seemingly who has been around forever, is 33-3 with 23 stoppages. Canadian Kean, called ‘The Grizzly’, is 23-2 with 22 stoppages.
“It was a highlight reel knockout and that’s how you make a statement,” said former middleweight champion Lee, who scored plenty of his own stunning knockouts. “There are some great heavyweights here and Joseph Parker just reminded them of his class.”
It didn’t take Montreal-based Russian Arslanbek Makhmudov to breakthrough against Illinois’s Junior Anthony Wright and the fight was actually all over after just 70 seconds.
A right hand-left hook separated Wright from his senses, and another left hook caught him as he toppled to the canvas. Although Wright managed to rise, he did not look well and referee Steve Gray was monitoring him closely.
So when the 34-year-old ‘Lion’ landed short left and right hooks and a despairing Wright attempted to cover up, Gray understandably called it off before Wright took unnecessary damage.
Arslanbek is now 18-0 with 17 stoppages. Only Carlos Takam has heard the final bell against him. Wright is now 20-5-1 with 17 stoppages, but he was not ready for Arslanbek tonight.
