The WBO interim super-middleweight title is on the line when British pair Zach Parker and John Ryder clash later this month.
This is an intriguing domestic contest and it's also likely to make waves on the world scene.
Ryder has been waiting for another world title shot for some time and the Islington fighter put in a brilliant display to outpoint Daniel Jacobs last time out.
Parker is a former British super-middleweight champion and this is the first time the unbeaten 28-year-old has been in with a top-level opponent.
It's potential against proven form and it's going to be interesting which one of those comes out on top.
What | Zach Parker v John Ryder |
Where | O2 Arena, London |
When | 22.00, Saturday 26th November 2022 |
How to watch | BT Sport |
Odds | Zach Parker 2/5, John Ryder 7/4 |
The fight will take place on Saturday 26th November 2022.
The main card gets under way at 7pm. Parker and Ryder are expected to begin their ringwalks at 10pm. Exact times will depend on the duration of previous undercard bouts.
The bout will take place at the O2 Arena. The London venue has a rich boxing history and it has played host to a number of big fights down the years.
Anthony Joshua took on Dillian Whyte at the Arena and it was the home to a pair of fights between Tony Bellew and David Haye.
The venue played host to another all-British contest between George Groves and James DeGale and Gennady Golovkin defeated former British world champion Kell Brook on the banks of the Thames.
Zach Parker and John Ryder will be shown live on BT Sport.
Parker is 2/5 to defeat Ryder and maintain his unbeaten record.
This should be a thrilling domestic dust-up and Ryder, who is no stranger to being the underdog in a fight, is once more the outsider at 7/4.
The WBO interim super-middleweight crown is up for grabs. That title is pretty insignificant in terms of a stand-alone belt but it does open the door for bigger prizes.
The winner of this contest will be in prime position for a crack at the WBO super-middleweight world title currently in the possession of Canelo Alvarez.
Parker previously held the British 168lbs title after defeating Daryll Williams in 2018, while Ryder has been beaten on the three occasions that he has challenged for the Lonsdale belt.
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Parker is unbeaten in 26 professional fights and the Derbyshire puncher won the vacant British super-middleweight title via a split-decision victory over Williams in 2018.
However, the 28-year-old failed to make a single defence of his belt after a dislocated shoulder sustained early in the first round of the fight required surgery and time out of the ring.
Parker has returned from injury with five straight knockout victories. The former British champ stopped Rohan Murdock to collect the WBO international super-middleweight title and he has also recorded good victories over Sherzod Khusanov and most recently Marcus Morrison.
Those opponents are still a level down from Ryder, but Parker has cut an impressive fighter and the Derbyshire boxer has the experience to perform against better quality opposition.
Ryder has lost five of his 36 contests, but that doesn’t tell anything like the full story.
The Gorilla has been beaten by Callum Smith, Rocky Fielding, Jack Arnfield, Nick Blackwell and Billy Joe Saunders. Three of those reversals came in British title contests and one was at world level against Smith.
The Islington man competed well against Saunders and it was a narrow defeat to a top-level opponent.
The 34-year-old lost by unanimous decision to Mundo, but that was a more than questionable decision and many would argue that Ryder deserved to walk away with Smith’s belts.
The Gorilla showed that he is still a high-class fighter with an excellent victory over Daniel Jacobs earlier this year and the Londoner won’t be found wanting when it comes to desire or commitment.
Hamzah Sheeraz defends his WBC silver title for a first time and there are outings for highly-rated prospects Pierce O’Leary, Dennis McCann and Sam Noakes.
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