Fabio Wardley produced the biggest win of his career with a dramatic 11th-round stoppage of Joseph Parker at the O2 Arena, earning a shot at undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk. Referee Howard Foster stepped in after Wardley landed a flurry of punches to finish a pulsating contest.
Parker had been ordered by the WBO to face Usyk in July, but the New Zealander risked his mandatory challenger status against Wardley, who was still involved in white-collar boxing when Parker was world champion in 2016. The Ipswich fighter showed remarkable resilience, absorbing several heavy punches before turning the fight around.
Wardley appeared to have missed his chance in a back-and-forth second round and again in the 10th, but he roared back in the 11th with a huge right hand that wobbled Parker. A succession of further punches forced the stoppage and continued Wardley's fairytale rise, following his June knockout of Justis Huni at Portman Road.
Parker controlled much of the contest, dominating the middle rounds and landing significant shots in the seventh and ninth. However, Wardley survived and flipped the script in the 10th, then finished emphatically in the 11th, collapsing to the floor in exhaustion after the victory.
The fight was witnessed by Tyson Fury, Daniel Dubois and Moses Itauma, and the undercard announcement confirmed Derek Chisora and Dillian Whyte will meet on 13 December in Manchester. Chisora insisted his 50th career fight will '100%' happen, although he stressed the paperwork must be right.
