Main Event
Light Heavyweight Joshua Buatsi
Light Heavyweight Zach parker
Joshua Buatsi vs Zach Parker
Two leading light heavyweight contenders, both affiliated to Queensberry, are set to trade mighty blows at the Co-op Live in Manchester on Saturday November 1.
New Queensberry signing Joshua Buatsi will be looking to launch his new promotional alliance with a bang when he takes on former top super middleweight Zach Parker over 10 rounds at the futuristic arena, set on Manchester City’s Etihad Campus.
For Buatsi, this fight represents another major domestic showdown, with him already having fought Craig Richards, Dan Azeez, Willy Hutchinson and then, last time out, Callum Smith.
Success in the Smith fight eluded him on the scorecards, but he lost nothing in defeat in battle that will surely be right at the top of the charts when it comes to nominating fight of the year contenders.
The goal of the Croydon 32-year-old remains winning a world title and he will have his attention firmly fixed on events in Riyadh on November 22 when David Benevidez defends his WBC world title against Anthony Yarde, should he prevail against Parker.
Derby favourite Parker, 31, has put together four straight wins since injury forced him to retire in a WBO Interim world title fight against John Ryder at super middleweight at the end of 2022.
The former British champion at 168lbs became WBO International champion in early 2020 and went on to make three successful defences, all won via KO, which put him into position for his WBO Interim challenge.
Since his injury setback, Parker has recorded victories over Khalid Graidia, Tyron Zeuge, Jack Arnfield and Mickael Diallo.
Official Fight Night Poster
Joshua Buatsi vs Zach Parker - Fight Night Official Poster
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WINS
19
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LOSES
1
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DRAW
0
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KOs
13
JoshuaBuatsi
Fighter ProfileJoshua Buatsi is a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist and former WBO Interim world, European, British and Commonwealth light heavyweight title holder. He is now represented promotionally by Frank Warren and Queensberry.
The 32-year-old from Croydon suffered a first professional setback in February when he lost his Interim world title to Callum Smith in a stirring encounter that will come into strong consideration when ‘fight of the year’ contenders are determined.
The Riyadh reverse has not diminished the stock of the Accra-born 175-pounder, who secured his Interim title honours with a defeat of Willy Hutchinson at Wembley Stadium on the Joshua-Dubois card last September, having previously overcome the European champion Dan Azeez seven months earlier to win British and European belts.
Buatsi turned professional in July 2017 and has amassed a record of 19-1 to date, with 13 of his wins coming via KO. His original British title success came against Liam Conroy in March 2019, with the WBA International title secured three fights previously. He also holds a victory over London rival Craig Richards in May 2022.
Zach Parker
Fighter ProfileZach Parker was on the cusp of making it big in the super middleweight division before a cruel hand injury forced him out of battle in a fight for the WBO Interim world title against John Ryder at The O2 in November of 2022.
After having surgery on his hand, Parker returned to the ring at Wembley Arena in September 2023 and defeated the stubborn Khalid Graidia, forcing a retirement with seven rounds completed.
Afterwards, he indicated that a switch up to light heavyweight could be the way forward for him.
Parker teamed up with Queensberry in early 2021 and, working in tandem with Frank Warren, Parker became a headline act. On initially joining forces and before demolishing Marcus Morrison in four rounds, Parker's actual time under the lights amounted to not much more than seven minutes as both Vaughn Alexander and Sherzod Khusanov - neither previously stopped - succumbed to his punching prowess.
His most recent activity came in February of this year when he overcame Mickael Diallo in Manchester, having earlier defeated strong opposition in former world champion Tyron Zeuge and Jack Arnfield respectively.
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WINS
26
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LOSES
1
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DRAW
0
-
KOs
18
Plus Full Undercard Featuring
Light Heavyweight
21(10)-1-0
Lyndon Arthur24(16)-3-0
EBU European Light Heavyweight championship
Light Heavyweight
12(4)-0-0
TroyJones12(6)-1-0
IBF Inter-Continental Light Heavyweight championship
All bouts are subject to change
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