Deontay Wilder v Joseph Parker: Weight, height, reach, trainer & professional boxing records

We analyse the credentials and statistics of the hard-hitting Deontay Wilder and technically astute Joseph Parker as the two former world heavyweight champions get set for their showdown on the huge Day of Reckoning fight card in Saudi Arabia.

At last, Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua appear to be on a collision course. 

Both men feature on the ‘Day of Reckoning’ card on 23 December, in Saudi Arabia, with a view to the pair facing off next year.

Joseph Parker will look to derail the plans by upsetting the odds to defeat Wilder, whose eyes are firmly set on both AJ and another world title opportunity.

Who will prevail in this intriguing clash of former world heavyweight champions?

Let’s have a look at the Tale of the Tape…
 

Deontay Wilder v Joseph Parker
Tale of the Tape

	Deontay Wilder	Joseph Parker
Odds:	1/6	4/1
Age:	38	31
Nickname:	'The Bronze Bomber'	N/A
Height:	6ft 7ins	6ft 4ins
Reach:	83ins	76ins
Weight:	Heavyweight	Heavyweight
Trainer:	Malik Scott	Andy Lee
Record:	43-2-1 (42 KOs)	33-3 (23 KO's)
Last Fight:	Won - (KO) v Robert Helenius (Oct 2022)	Won - (KO) v Simon Kean (Oct 2023)

Deontay Wilder
In Profile

Much is made of Deontay Wilder’s flaws, of which there are many. However, his devastating power and fast hands more than compensate for said weaknesses.

‘The Bronze Bomber’ can look ungainly, even uncoordinated at times, but his ability to land his vaunted right hand should not be underestimated.

The Alamba man has faced 43 foes, in a professional career spanning 15 years, and each of them has been stopped or dropped. 

Some observers will point out that the majority of the men the 38-year-old has faced have been of a relatively low standard, while others believe he was exposed during his trilogy of fights against Tyson Fury. 

Such views are somewhat harsh; no, Wilder has not faced Murders’ Row, but he holds wins over solid, if unspectacular, opposition. Although he suffered two defeats and a draw against ‘The Gypsy King,’ in many ways, Wilder enhanced his reputation.

If the Englishman is the best heavyweight on the planet, he required super-human powers of recovery to rise from the 12th round knockdown in their first encounter and endured a torrid fourth frame in the third fight between the pair. On both those occasions, Wilder was on the cusp of glory.

Even at 38, Wilder appears as athletic, and dangerous, as ever. 

In his only bout since the culmination of his series of fights with Fury, the 2008 Beijing Olympic bronze medallist required less than a round to dispatch of Robert Helenius. ‘The Nordic Nightmare’ entered the battle in good form, having twice defeated Adam Kownacki, but the first right hand than landed, brought the fight to a close.

With so much at stake, Wilder will be hoping for another quick and decisive finish. 

Talk of a fight between Wilder and Anthony Joshua has circulated for the best part of a decade. In 2018, when they were in possession of every heavyweight world title, the undisputed showdown was amongst the most anticipated in the sport.

While neither man currently holds a belt, the bout is still an intriguing prospect. Both hit hard and each of them are vulnerable; it is the perfect combination for an explosive fight.

If the dream of a fight between Wilder and Joshua is to become a reality, ‘The Bronze Bomber’ cannot afford to slip up against Joseph Parker.

Strengths:	Weaknesses:
One-punch knockout power	Can be reckless
Hand speed	Fighting on the inside
Left hook	Head falls over his front foot
Jab to the body	Open defensively

Joseph Parker
In Profile

The career of Joseph Parker has been a peculiar one.

On the rise, Parker was viewed as one of the best prospects in the sport’s glamour division. The New Zealander displayed speed, power and balance en-route to title contention.

After Tyson Fury vacated his world title belts after testing positive for a banned substance, Parker was presented with the opportunity to face Andy Ruiz for the vacant WBO strap. In a competitive bout, Parker prevailed.

At just 24-years-old, Parker was a heavyweight world champion. In many ways, that was the pinnacle for him. 

A routine defence against Razvn Cojanu was followed by a decision victory over Hughie Fury. The fight was a poor one as their respective styles did not gel.

A unification with, WBA and IBF champion, Anthony Joshua was next. ‘AJ’ was deemed by observers to be more suited to Parker than Fury was. Sadly, again the bout was underwhelming. A more cautious than usual Joshua was victorious, in a fight that never caught fire.

Four months on from losing his world title, the New Zealander was back in Britain, this time facing Dillian Whyte. The bout was far more exciting than Parker’s previous against English opposition. Parker was floored twice, before sending ‘The Body Snatcher’ to the canvas in the final round.

Afterwards, some questioned whether Parker had the devilment necessary to be a top heavyweight. Had applied pressure to Whyte earlier, would the result have been different?

In the intervening years, Parker has teamed up with Andy Lee as his coach. Under the tutelage of the Irishman, Parker appeared rejuvenated, securing a brace of wins over Dereck Chisora.

Any momentum that had been built was brought to a crashing halt last year, when Joe Joyce stopped the former WBO titlist inside 11 rounds.

If Parker can find his mean streak, he could upset the odds. 

In their second fight, Tyson Fury showed that Wilder is ineffective when forced backwards. Of course, that is easier said than done when facing the biggest puncher at the weight class, but if Parker still has aspirations of becoming a world champion again, it is what he must do.  

Strengths:	Weaknesses:
Hand speed	Lacks killer instinct
Uppercut	Head movement
Jab	Moves back in straight lines
Combination punching	Stays in range too long

All odds displayed within this article were correct at the time of writing and are subject to fluctuation.