‘Ruthless, nasty, savage.’ Parker makes statement
Joseph Parker grabbed the international attention he craved with a positive response to his threeround demolition of Alexander Flores in Christchurch.
The former WBO champion shrugged off losses to top tier opponents Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte by destroying Flores in his homecoming fight on Saturday night.
Wanting a statement performance to signal he can still be a force in the division, it appears Parker achieved that with his victory getting plenty of international coverage that centred on his aggressive approach, including the low blows that helped set up the win.
Parker twice hit Flores low before flooring him once in a hectic third round. When the Mexican-American got up, Parker put him down for good with a brutal attack to the head.
‘‘Joseph Parker produced a ruthless knockout win over Alexander Flores to keep alive his hopes of a rematch with Dillian Whyte,’’ wrote Sky Sports in the UK where Parker wants to return to action next year.
‘‘Parker displayed more aggression from the opening bell, repeatedly targeting the body of Flores.’’
Sky Sports noted the referee taking a close look and Flores’ complaints but ‘‘Parker paid little attention as a big right hand dropped Flores again and the fight was quickly waved off’’.
Talk Sport, another influential UK media outlet, felt Parker ‘‘made a huge statement with a savage knockout’’ that was ‘‘crucial’’ to his future.
‘‘With Flores backed up against the ropes, Parker, who had started to land at will after some telling body blows, connected with a thudding right/left hand combination to leave his opponent unconscious.’’
The Sun said Parker ‘‘wasted no time in blowing out the vastly under-matched Flores’’ to get his career back on track.
In the United States, East Side Boxing felt Parker might have overdone his attempt to drop his ‘‘nice guy’’ persona in the ring.
‘‘Parker crushed a game but out of his depth Alexander Flores via impressively brutal thirdround KO.
‘‘Parker vowed to be meaner in the ring. The former champ kept his word, but he perhaps went a little too far,’’ they said, noting the low blows involved.
‘‘But as controversial as the ending to today’s fight was, Parker’s punching and his sheer killer instinct were also very impressive.
‘‘For now, the low blows aside, Joseph Parker is back. And he has shown he can be nasty in the ring.’’
Specialist site Bad Left Hook felt Parker had proven his aggression with an impressive display that ‘‘keeps himself in the mix among the top 10 heavyweights and will now look
forward to 2019 and a potential rematch with Dillian Whyte’’.
‘‘Parker has done what he had to do ... snapping a two-fight losing streak and putting himself in the spot as best he can.’’
Boxing Scene felt Parker ‘‘came back with a fury’’, making good on his promise to be
‘‘meaner’’ in the ring.
Respected Publication The Ring, described Parker’s winning formula as ‘‘violent’’.
In Australia, where a fight with Lucas Browne remains a viable option, Fox Sports was impressed.
‘‘Joseph Parker needed a win.
‘‘And boy did he produce one — knocking out Alexander Flores in a devastating third round that was quite simply brutal.
‘‘He stopped Flores with a series of heavy blows that proved irresistible to re-establish himself as one of the best heavyweights in the world.’’