In the main event of the evening at the London O2 arena in the dramatic battle Dillian Whyte (24-1, 17 KOs) scored a unanimous decision over former world champion Joseph Parker (24-2, 18 KOs). Thus, Whyte defended his title of WBC silver champion and added the vacant belt of the international WBO heavyweight champion. The scores were 113-112, 115-110, 114-111.
From the very beginning of the battle the opponents occupied the center of the ring and worked mostly from the distance. Parker looked faster and more accurately in the first rounds, he tried to box, while Whyte sought to draw the duel into a rough and sometimes dirty brawl. At the end of the second round Parker was on the floor after a clash of heads, but the referee regarded the New Zealander's fall as a knockdown.
From the third round Whyte's blows began to reach the goal, and the fight was leveled by the power of the British. By the middle of the fight, Parker began to show signs of fatigue, he often dropped his hands, while Whyte delivered powerful punches more often and realized the advantage in size. In the ninth round after the perfect left hook to the jaw Parker went down now in legitimate knockdown, but was able to rise and continue the fight.
The New Zealander retained more strength at the end and was able to noticeably shake Whyte in the eleventh round and send him to the canvas with an accurate right hand at the end of the twelfth round. Dillian was saved by the final bell.
After the fight Whyte said that he would like to have a rematch in April at Wembley with Anthony Joshua.
