Zhang favoured with Bookies Vs Parker
This coming Friday we see a huge card in Saudi Arabia, headlined by British star Anthony Joshua taking on former UFC champion Francis Ngganou. Although the card is an interesting one featuring several bouts of note, the one that stands out for us is a WBO Interim Heavyweight title fight, that features Chinese slugger Zhilei Zhang (26-1-1, 21) taking on former world champion Joseph Parker (34-3, 23). The bout is an excellent match up between men with very, very different styles, and strengths, and it really will be a case of both men looking to establish their style on the fight, and take the others man's strengths away.
On one hand we have the Chinese fighter, who lives up to his nickname of "Big Bang". He's a slow, almost cumbersome fighter at times, but one who has brutal power in both hands, and despite his lack of mobility, does have excellent time, a solid chin and a scary confidence, helped in part by big wins over Joe Joyce in recent bouts. He's not the smoothest, the fastest or the most skilled man in the division, but he's undeniably one of the most dangerous, with frightening natural power though at 40 time really is ticking on his career . As for Parker, he's a mover-boxer, with good movement, good hand speed, and quick footwork, for a heavyweight, but a lack of genuine one-punch power. Parker's key traits are his mobility, hand speed and, like Zhang, his toughness. Like Zhang he'll full of confidence coming in to this, on the back of arguably the best win of his career, as 12 round decision win over Deontay Wilder. Despite being around for a long time, and having won the WBO title back in 2016, Parker is the much younger man here, at just 32.
Coming in to this the bookies see the bout as something of a mismatch, despite a strong case being made for both men to pick up the win. The bookies have the 40 year old Zhang priced at 4/9 to pick up the win, and score his 3rd win since a controversial 2022 loss to Filip Hrgovic. Parker on the other hand is a 2/1 under-dog, as he looked for a 5th straight win following a KO loss to Joe Joyce. The draw, which is a genuine shout here, is 20/1.
The method of victory market is an interesting one here. Zhang is priced at 21/20 to win inside the distance, and 9/2 to win a decision, suggesting the bookies see his power as being his key to victory. For Parker the odds of a decision are 18/5, whilst he is priced at a huge 13/2 to win inside the distance, suggesting his boxing ability will be his key to picking up another big win
Although Zhang inside the schedule is the preferred outcome, it's not expected to come early, and the over/under has been set at 10.5 rounds, with the under priced at 4/5 and the over at 21/20. the bout is 8/13 to not go the distance, and 13/8 to go the scheduled 12 rounds.
(Odds correct with British bookies at of 16:11 March 4th)
On one hand we have the Chinese fighter, who lives up to his nickname of "Big Bang". He's a slow, almost cumbersome fighter at times, but one who has brutal power in both hands, and despite his lack of mobility, does have excellent time, a solid chin and a scary confidence, helped in part by big wins over Joe Joyce in recent bouts. He's not the smoothest, the fastest or the most skilled man in the division, but he's undeniably one of the most dangerous, with frightening natural power though at 40 time really is ticking on his career . As for Parker, he's a mover-boxer, with good movement, good hand speed, and quick footwork, for a heavyweight, but a lack of genuine one-punch power. Parker's key traits are his mobility, hand speed and, like Zhang, his toughness. Like Zhang he'll full of confidence coming in to this, on the back of arguably the best win of his career, as 12 round decision win over Deontay Wilder. Despite being around for a long time, and having won the WBO title back in 2016, Parker is the much younger man here, at just 32.
Coming in to this the bookies see the bout as something of a mismatch, despite a strong case being made for both men to pick up the win. The bookies have the 40 year old Zhang priced at 4/9 to pick up the win, and score his 3rd win since a controversial 2022 loss to Filip Hrgovic. Parker on the other hand is a 2/1 under-dog, as he looked for a 5th straight win following a KO loss to Joe Joyce. The draw, which is a genuine shout here, is 20/1.
The method of victory market is an interesting one here. Zhang is priced at 21/20 to win inside the distance, and 9/2 to win a decision, suggesting the bookies see his power as being his key to victory. For Parker the odds of a decision are 18/5, whilst he is priced at a huge 13/2 to win inside the distance, suggesting his boxing ability will be his key to picking up another big win
Although Zhang inside the schedule is the preferred outcome, it's not expected to come early, and the over/under has been set at 10.5 rounds, with the under priced at 4/5 and the over at 21/20. the bout is 8/13 to not go the distance, and 13/8 to go the scheduled 12 rounds.
(Odds correct with British bookies at of 16:11 March 4th)