Fabio Wardley has been on an incredible run, but it’s all about to come to an end.
That's according to Hall of Famer Tim Bradley, who, despite Wardley's recent form, doesn't believe the Ipswich man stands much of a chance against
Joseph Parker this weekend.
The surging heavyweight contender, fresh off back-to-back KO wins over Frazer Clarke and Justis Huni, finds himself in the biggest fight of his life Saturday.
He and Parker will clash in the main event spot at O2 Arena in London
(DAZN).
“It took me one round to break down Wardley and Joseph Parker,” said Bradley on his YouTube channel. “Wardley is about to get knocked out. This fight is going to go four or five rounds at the most, if that, because Joseph Parker is going to knock him out with a right hand [or] it might be a single punch followed up by combinations."
In September 2022, Parker (36-3, 24 KOs) appeared to have reached his ceiling. He was coming off an 11th-round stoppage defeat to
Joe Joyce and his future looked uncertain.
He's now riding a six-fight win streak. And, those victories haven’t come against no-names, either.
He parlayed a lopsided points win over former champion
Deontay Wilder in 2023 into a big-time opportunity against Zhilei Zhang a year later. Parker picked himself up off the canvas twice to win a majority decision.
Bradley appreciates what Wardley (19-0-1, 18 KOs) has done to get his name in the mix with the heavyweight division’s top dogs. But he has pinpointed one particular skill issue he believes will lead to the Englishman's downfall.
"Wardley leans back," the former two-weight world champion said. "So, he puts most of his weight on his back foot, which means he can explode coming forward, which is great. But when offense is coming his way, he’s stuck in the mud.”