IT was a familiar feeling of frustration for Zach Parker, laboring to another uninspiring 10-round decision victory over European opposition in short-notice replacement Mickael Diallo.

Originally set to box Willy Hutchinson (18-2, 13 KOs) this past weekend, news broke at the start of fight week revealing the Scotsman dislocated and tore his left shoulder in training, seeing their crossroads clash shelved, the younger man likely sidelined until the third quarter of 2025.

Parker's fight camp didn't go to waste, though he was made to work hard for another points win - much like a rollercoaster ride against Tyron Zeuge little over twelve months ago where lapses in concentration had him badly hurt early.

Ranked #4 by the WBO at 175-pounds, the Derby man (26-1, 18 KOs) revealed a willingness to face two-time world title challenger Anthony Yarde (26-3, 24 KOs) after his fourth-round stoppage win against Jack Arnfield last July.

Considering he was once in pole position for world honours at super-middleweight, the respectful callout was meant with measured intrigue, one of many potential options to be explored. Parker has always insisted better opposition will bring the best out of him, though we're yet to truly see that level.

Yet he has bigger fish to fry and Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren told The Ring post-fight bad cuts by his eyes must heal first before the 31-year-old can plan his future after again being caught too easily for comfort by Diallo (21-2-2, 18 KOs), on a night where another Frenchman pulled off an upset on away turf.

"He was hampered by that bad cut, a terrible one, I'm surprised the ref didn't stop that, it was bleeding all the time. It was what it was, gotta see what his options are but he'll be out of the ring a while waiting for that cut to heal.

There's a couple of times where he hurt him, wasn't able to follow up and I think, when you've got a cut, I told him afterwards... he kept making it worse! Pawing at it, pulling it apart, did it quite a few times. You just don't do it."

Yarde, whose long-running pursuit of a Joshua Buatsi showdown failed to materialize last summer, surprised many by ending an eight-month absence when aligning with Ben Shalom's BOXXER platform for a one-fight deal.

He scored an early knockdown but that first-round sequence was one of few highlights during an uninspiring 10-round decision win (98-92) over Latvia's Ralfs Vilcans (17-2, 7 KOs).

Now, he's set to face former IBO world champion Lyndon Arthur (24-2, 16 KOs) on the Chris Eubank Jr vs. Conor Benn undercard come April 26 in a rubber match after splitting their two-fight series one apiece with bouts a year apart during the coronavirus-enforced lockdown.

Although tensions from Yarde's camp created a rift-of-sorts between him and Warren, the Queensberry chief was happy to declare "everything was cool again" and they were working together once more, spotted sitting next to the 33-year-old with trainer Tunde Ajayi in close proximity.

The prospect of that visual would've been difficult to envisage just a few short months prior, though the hatchet has been buried and it'll be interesting to see how Yarde's matchmaking is handled going forward, assuming he produces another showcase display as expected in the Arthur trilogy.