Joseph Parker Looks Shaken As Fabio Wardley Promises KO

A confident, relaxed, and upbeat-looking Fabio Wardley let the media know today at the final press conference that he’ll defeat WBO interim heavyweight champion Joseph Parker by “knockout” this Saturday, October 25th, at the O2 Arena in London and live on DAZN PPV

Parker looked ready to climb into a foxhole and hide from the media and Wardly during today’s final press conference. He appeared high-strung and falling apart under the pressure of the moment. The former WBO heavyweight champion Parker (36-3, 24 KOs) knows what he stands to lose if Fabio beats him.

Body Language Tells the Story

Money on the Line for Parker

Parker reportedly stands to make $30-$70 million if he challenges undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk in 2026, assuming he’s victorious on Saturday against Wardley. If the better-known Parker gets 30% of the share of the revenue against Usyk, he can earn $60 million.

The lesser-known Wardley can be estimated $15-$30 million. That would be 15-25% of the purse.

Given the giant sum that Parker can make, one can understand why he now looks like a nervous wreck. If he loses this fight, it’s unlikely that he’d be able to rebuild in time to face the 38-year-old Usyk before he retires in three years at 41. It would take too long for Parker to claw his way back to the position he’s in now.

Olly Campbell: The Breakdown

The difference between the two heavyweights was striking. While Parker looked agitated, nervous, and the picture of a person wracked by self-doubt, Wardley (19-0-1, 18 KOs) seemed like a person among a group of friends. He has the aura of someone who knows he’s going to win and is just ready to have fun on Saturday.

It’s interesting to note how the 33-year-old Parker’s disposition has changed over the last month as the fight with Wardley draws nearer. Initially, the New Zealander was confident, buoyed by the many boxing fans and experts who had chosen him to outclass the less experienced Wardley. All that has changed in the last week.

Fans and the media have turned on Parker, seeing him as a vulnerable fighter, heading toward defeat against the faster, stronger, and vastly more intelligent Wardley. I saw the same look in Parker’s eyes before his fights against Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte in 2018. He had that 1000-yard stare of a soldier who knew he was about to face something horrible.

Parker vs. Wardley will be shown on DAZN PPV this Saturday, October 25, 2025. The event is priced at $59.99 for U.S fans. The pay-per-view price for UK fans is £24.99.

Joseph Parker: “I’m just getting into my prime now. Credit to Wardley for taking this fight, but it’s the wrong time to take the fight because I’m going to smash him,” said Parker during Thursday’s final press conference for Saturday’s fight. He believes in himself, but I know I’m going to win this fight.

Calm Assassin Energy from Wardley

Fabio Wardley: “I’ve proven in my career that I can put on a not-so-great performance and come back and learn myself to pick areas that I need to fix and sort out to go into the next fight and win. This is going to be exactly the same for me.

“Under Usyk, he is the next man. So, that’s a great scalp for me to take. Fabio Wardley wins. Fabio Wardley knockout.”