THROUGHOUT the build-up to Joseph Parker vs Fabio Wardley, we have heard, too many times to count, that Parker just simply has too much experience for Wardley.
That, of course, is an easy point to make.
With around 100 fights in total, both as an amateur and professional, the New Zealander, in that sense, has practically quadruple the amount of experience when compared to his opponent this Saturday.
But how crucial will that added seasoning be when the pair climb through the ropes, hoping to cement their position as the leading challenger to Oleksandr Usyk?
Well, experience is perhaps the most important factor in any sport – and basically anything in life – let alone boxing, where a lack of such comfort in the chaos can often lead to devastating consequences.
Whenever one tries their hand at something new – say tennis, for instance – and comes up against an even semi-regular customer, it is remarkable, then, just how quickly they discover that, both mentally and physically, a shred of familiarity is nowhere to be seen.
Soon enough, fatigue will kick in, causing them to rely on instinct rather than the precious few nuggets of advice that were offered just a few moments prior.
In other words, they are exposed to the cruel reality that, on this occasion, it is as if they have entered a gunfight with a cricket bat, desperately swinging a pathetic block of wood while metal bullets are fired in their direction.
Now, the situation does not appear quite as drastic for Wardley, 19-0-1 (18 KOs), but, nevertheless, he is almost certainly approaching unfamiliar territory as he gears up to face Parker, 36-3 (24 KOs).
Unlike his next opponent, Parker is no stranger to a fight at this level. Even on the occasions where he has fallen short, the former world champion showed tremendous resolve, most notably against Joe Joyce, to keep pressing forward, all while absorbing an obscene amount of punishment.
More recently, too, he was compelled to display that level of grit against Zhilei Zhang when, despite suffering two knockdowns, Parker climbed off the canvas on both occasions and outworked his man, eventually finding himself on the favourable side of a majority decision.
Ultimately, the 33-year-old has faced various setbacks throughout his career, responded to them, and is now considered to be the very best version of himself.
Wardley, on the other hand, is perhaps yet to encounter such adversity in the ring.
Sure, he was losing by a considerably wide margin against Justis Huni, yet somehow found a peach of a right hand to halt proceedings in stunning fashion.
But while that certainly made for an awe-inspiring spectacle, and indeed offered a glimpse of the type of character that Wardley is, it must also be said, yet again, that he has only been forced to overcome such hurdles at a level below world-class.
Even in his first fight with Frazer Clarke, where both men showed terrific mettle to keep rallying back, there is not quite enough evidence to suggest that, beyond British level – which is what that particular contest was fought at – Wardley is capable of swimming with the sharks.
He does, of course, carry genuine one-punch knockout power, fierce enough to trouble even the most elite of heavyweights.
But again, Parker has fought a selection of potent operators throughout his career and, more often than not, was crafty enough to find a way to win.
Joseph Parker vs Fabio Wardley Fight Prediction
Here, it feels impossible to look beyond the experience of Parker.
While he may be forced to overcome a few prickly moments and perhaps even one or two knockdowns, it is unlikely that Wardley will present him with anything he has not seen before.
On top of that, the far superior boxing brain of Parker should allow him to exploit Wardley’s less refined defence, while also weathering whatever storm comes his way.
And with that, it seems that this is Parker’s to win on points, rather than taking any unnecessary risks to produce an emphatic finish.
