Zach Parker expressed anger towards the judges for denying him a victory over Joshua Buatsi, claiming they were jeopardizing his children’s futures. At a light-heavyweight bout in Manchester, Parker outperformed Buatsi, who struggled to counter his opponent’s strategies. Despite Buatsi’s minor improvements in the middle rounds, Parker was deemed the clear victor by most observers.
Following the contest, Parker, who is a father and expecting another child, was visibly upset, stating, “I should be securing a better life for my daughter and unborn child, but decisions like this hinder that progress.” He firmly believed he had dominated the fight and should have been declared the winner, criticizing the judges’ scoring.
Buatsi, on the other hand, rebounded from a previous loss earlier in the year and defended his victory over Parker. He criticized Parker’s defensive tactics and emphasized the importance of winning regardless of the performance quality. Buatsi now aims to challenge the winner of the upcoming title fight between Anthony Yarde and David Benavidez in Saudi Arabia.
In another controversial decision that night, Liam Cameron was awarded the win over Troy Jones despite Jones’ dominant performance. Promoter Eddie Hearn hinted at potential return dates for Anthony Joshua, suggesting appearances on undercard events in California or Riyadh. Additionally, there were talks of a potential fight between Joshua and Jake Paul before Christmas, as Paul seeks a new opponent following accusations against Gervonta Davis.