Russian roulette? Joe has the bullet speed
PHOTOSPORT JOSEPH Parker’s world heavyweight title dream is alive after he destroyed Russian Alexander Dimitrenko in Auckland last night.
The reward certainly outweighed the risk as Parker overpowered the giant Dimitrenko at the Vodafone Events Centre in Manukau.
Parker was looking for a statement performance as the eyes of the division and, importantly, rival promoters, were on him in a bout televised to 53 countries.
He delivered, downing Dimitrenko four times with the fight eventually stopped 1m 38s into the third round.
It was a controversial finish with Dimitrenko appearing to be hit on his left hip while he had a knee on the canvas.
He complained bitterly but the result stood as he was counted out.
Dimitrenko was on the back foot from the outset, floored by a huge left hook in the first round and sent to the canvas twice in the second round as he failed to cope with Parker’s all-out aggression.
Parker’s handlers will now plan what route they take to a title shot – via the IBF belt held by Anthony Joshua where Parker holds the mandatory position or through the WBO where champion Tyson Fury looks certain to be stripped of the belt.
Fury’s latest drugs allegation – a reported positive test for cocaine – comes on top of an unanswered doping violation. The big Brit has withdrawn from his planned rematch with Wladimir Klitschko for a second time and the patience of both the WBO and WBA look to have run thin as they await explanations.
The two vacant belts would For more reaction to last night’s Joseph Parker v Alexander Dimitrenko fight, go to allow Joshua to line out against Klitchsko for the IBF and WBO titles and allow Parker, the WBO No 1 to take onthe No 3, Mexican Andy Ruiz, with preliminary discussions already under way for a historic title fight in New Zealand, possibly as early as December.
All of that, the juicy mandatory position and the hard-earned rankings, were on the line against the massive Dimitrenko, who was hand-picked to tune Parker for the bigger fighters who are in charge of boxing’s glamour division.
Parker boxed clever, negating the considerable height, reach and weight advantages that came with Dimitrenko, a 15-year professional who had only lost two fights heading into this fight.
As expected, Parker’s hand speed proved decisive. He backed that up with quick feet and clever head movement.
Dimitrenko’s attempts to advance and attack were regularly stalled by combinations from Parker.
Earlier, Parker’s brother John made his long awaited professional debut. The former New Zealand middleweight and heavyweight amateur champion fought at a catchweight of 85kg and looked to have the goods as he disposed of Christchurch’s Ratu Dawai via a majority decision.
Izu Ugonoh, Paker’s stable- mate, continued his rapid progress in the heavyweight division, proiving too good for France’s Gregory Tony for the IBF’s Mediterranean belt. He floored Tony three times, the final one via a brutal left hook liver punch in the second round. Ugonoh’s IBF ranking of No 15 will be boosted and his No 13 with the WBOmight get a nudge too as he looks to make 2017 a moving year in the division.
Junior Fa stamped his mark as the heavyweight on the move in the New Zealand scene behind Parker with a unanimous points decision win over experienced Samoan Alapati A’asa.
Christchurch superwelterweight Bowyn Morgan, looking to bounce back from a shock loss, had his hands full against the well-regarded Gunnar Jackson but kept his composure to score a unanimous points decision.