Missing in action
Boxer Joseph Parker’s career is at the crossroads after a second straight loss.
Surely that makes it official: heavyweight boxer Joseph Parker is the biggest enigma in New Zealand sport.
Following Parker’s loss by unanimous points decision to Briton Dillian Whyte in London last weekend, his fans took to Twitter to rage against the UK Sky TV commentary team’s criticism of their hero. The thrust of the adverse comment, which started early and continued throughout, was that Parker “looked sorry for himself” and gave the impression he’d rather be elsewhere. As in anywhere else.
I’m not sure the fans had much to complain about. For the bulk of the fight Parker did look decidedly unenthused about the whole business. Indeed, the longer the fight went on, the less it appeared he could be bothered maintaining anything resembling a conventional boxing stance with his gloves somewhere near chin level.
Most people would feel sorry for themselves if their job entailed sharing a confined space with a huge unit brimming with malicious intent; that’s one reason very few sensible people pursue careers in professional boxing.
But Parker chose to be a boxer and, what’s more, was engaged in what was widely seen as a pivotal fight: win and he’d put himself back in contention for another tilt at the world heavyweight crown; lose and he’d be contemplating an uncertain future and the distinct possibility that, at 26, he’s already yesterday’s man.
As befits an enigma, it wasn’t that clear-cut. Parker lost and his lack of urgency and intent once he’d fallen behind bolstered the gnawing concern that he’s too nice for his chosen profession.
But he hauled himself off the canvas after being knocked down for the first time in his career and finished so strongly that Whyte wouldn’t have lasted another 30 seconds. Whereupon many New Zealanders slumped back in their sofas wondering out loud where the bloody hell that Joseph Parker had been for most of the previous 11 rounds.
So we’re not really any the wiser. British promoter Eddie Hearn, who could have a big say in what happens from here on, expressed doubt that Parker will bounce back from consecutive losses to once again be a force in world heavyweight boxing. On the other hand, Whyte (30) reckons Parker has a “massive career” ahead of him.
In all likelihood, this won’t be the last chapter in the Parker story. But we probably shouldn’t take it for granted that the plot line is going to get clearer as the story progresses.