parker

Joseph Parker Labours To Victory Over Jack Massey

Written by Jared Parry on 21st January 2023.

Joseph Parker returned to winning ways, as he got the decision over Jack Massey, who was stepping up to heavyweight for the first time.

Parker bounced back from his loss to Joe Joyce to comfortably outpoint Jack Massey in a fight that proved more competitive than expected.

In his first fight on Sky under the BOXXER banner, Parker looked to start fast, unloading two left hooks almost instantly, leading to Massey tieing him up. The New Zealand man forced Massey to hold on multiple occasions in the first, however, Massey found a home for a right hand, showing that he wasn’t fazed by Parker’s power.

Parker continued to march Massey down in the rounds that followed, landing some meaningful shots, but nothing to put a major dent in Massey. Parker landed a short right hook around Massey’s guard in the fourth, as the New Zealand man began going through the gears, as he extended his lead.

Massey was clearly down on the cards at the mid-point, however, he noticeably grew in confidence, increasing his punch output. Parker attempted to expose any weaknesses in Massey and would land a stiff uppercut, but the local man stood firm and would fire back with heavy artillery of his own.

Massey, who was stepping up from cruiserweight, refused to be over-roared by the weight difference, as he came out firing in the eighth. A common theme during the fight was Massey holding Parker, and it came back to haunt the local man, as Massey was deducted a point for holding in the eighth.

The New Zealand man was in a clear lead going into the tenth and final round, as Massey’s late onslaught in the second half of the fight didn’t match Parker’s work, the former world champion would wobble Massey, but yet again, the local man stood firm.

The scorecards read, 96-93, 97-92 and 97-93 all in favour of Parker, who will now embark on a mission up the heavyweight rankings, and attempt to become a two-time world champion.