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AT A GLANCE

Main fight card

Tyson Fury v Francis Ngannou (heavyweights)

Fabio Wardley v David Adeleye (heavyweights)

Joseph Parker v Simon Kean (heavyweights)

Martin Bakole v Carlos Takam (heavyweights)

Arslanbek Makhmudov v Junior Anthony Wright (heavyweights)

Moses Itauma v Istvan Bernath (heavyweights)

Jack McGann v Alcibiade Duran (light middleweights)

TALE OF THE TAPE

Name: Joseph Parker

Age: 31

Height: 193cm

Reach: 193cm

Pro rounds: 223

Pro record: (32-3, 22 KOs)

Name: Simon Kean

Age: 34

Height: 196cm

Reach: 193cm

Pro rounds: 91

Pro record: (23-1, 22 KOs)

TAB odds: Parker, $1.17; Kean, $4.50; draw: $14

• Joseph Parker 250.1 lbs vs. Simon Kean 255.1 lbs (Heavyweight — 10 Rounds)

Parker/Kean weigh in:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk8A6mlmbqI&ab_channel=SecondsOut

Let's hope the rugby and the boxing can both deliver...

BY KEITH IDEC
Published Sat Oct 28, 2023, 03:32 PM EDT
Simon Kean got what he asked for Saturday night.

He waved Joseph Parker forward in the third round of their heavyweight bout and Parker promptly drilled him with a right uppercut that ended their scheduled 10-rounder on the Tyson Fury-Francis Ngannou undercard in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Kean fell flat on his back after taking that shot and couldn’t get up in time to beat the count.

New Zealand’s Parker (33-3, 23 KOs), a former WBO champion, was declared the winner at 2:04 of the third round.

Parker ended Kean’s eight-fight winning streak. Prior to Saturday night, Quebec’s Kean (23-2, 22 KOs) hadn’t lost since Dillon Carman (then 13-3) upset him by fourth-round knockout in October 2018 at Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.

Parker, who entered the ring as a 9-1 favorite according to DraftKings sportsbook, staggered Kean with a right uppercut a few seconds after the midway mark of the third round. Another right uppercut by Parker knocked Kean flat on his back with 1:09 to go in the third round.

Kean couldn’t get up in time and lost by knockout.

A jarring jab by Parker stopped Kean from coming forward with 1:20 remaining in the second round. Kean’s straight right hand landed a minute into the second round.

A jab by Kean made Parker reset his feet with 40 seconds to go in the opening round. A left hand by Parker knocked Kean off balance less than 20 seconds into their fight.

Well - we got the boxing result

But that was one of the most ridiculous Rugby games I have ever seen in my life

Bad for the game

Joseph Parker impresses with clinical knockout victory over Simon Kean in Saudi Arabia
Sam Wilson

Kiwi heavyweight Joseph Parker shines in Saudi Arabia with a third round knockout of Simon Kean.
Add that one to the highlight reel.

Joseph Parker scored one of the more eye-catching knockouts of his 11-year career when he halted a brave Simon Kean in the third round of an entertaining heavyweight slugfest in Saudi Arabia.

Fighting on the undercard of his good mate Tyson Fury's crossover clash with ex-UFC champion Francis Ngannou in Riyadh, Parker produced a sizzling display of power punching against the game if limited Kean, closing the show with a brutal right uppercut with a minute left in the third.

His Canadian opponent was badly hurt and unable to beat the count, prompting referee Bob Williams to wave it off and hand Parker his third victory of the year – and second in succession via stoppage.

Since teaming up with strength and conditioning coach George Lockhart earlier this year on Fury's recommendation, Parker has looked fitter and stronger than ever.

The former WBO world champion had been written off by many following a series of listless showings, namely an 11th-round knockout loss to Joe Joyce 13 months ago and an unconvincing points win over career-cruiserweight Jack Massey in January.

Joseph Parker picked up the IBF and WBO Intercontinental titles after his classy win over Simon Kean.
But the 31-year-old has shown in his last two outings that he still has plenty to offer the division after overwhelming Kean – a 2012 Olympian – with a potent mix of speed, accuracy and power.

Sure, Parker (33-3, 23 KOs) was widely expected to take care of Kean without too much trouble, given his experience and Kean's lack of top-level opponents on his resume.

Still, you can only beat what's in front of you, and Parker did that in style to remind the world that when in full flow, he remains a force to be reckoned with.

After an entertaining opening two rounds in which Parker landed the more telling blows but was also clipped on several occasions by a determined Kean, the gulf in class quickly became apparent in the third as the New Zealander started to find a home for his blurring combinations.

By now, Kean was starting to feel both the pace and weight of Parker's punches. He didn't see a right uppercut coming that Parker cleverly disguised behind his jab, putting him on unsteady legs.

The big Canuck tried to shake it off, goading Parker to come forward. He was made to regret that moment of bravado as the Kiwi detonated a near-identical punch on Kean's chin seconds later to send him crumbling to the canvas.

The Montreal native had no idea where he was and was swiftly counted out, leaving Parker to celebrate another win in his sixth fight with Andy Lee in his corner.

Afterwards, he credited his trainer with helping him land the fight-ending blow.

Joseph Parker stands over Simon Kean after dropping the plucky Canadian with a brutal right uppercut.
“Never forget the jab, the jab always sets everything up, and that's what he was telling me in the corner,” Parker said as he reflected on his explosive debut in the Middle East.

“That's how you make a statement,” added a delighted Lee. “Joseph Parker just showed and reminded everyone of his class.”

After getting the quick win, Parker said he hoped to return to the ring as early as December, when Fury was set to face Oleksandr Usyk in an undisputed showdown for all the heavyweight belts back in Saudi Arabia.

“I've loved it out here and it would be awesome to come back and fight, represent, and get the win,” said Parker, who told Stuff last week that he had asked Fury to get him a spot on the undercard as a “favour”.

But that December date is now in serious doubt after Fury was unexpectedly pushed all the way in the main event by boxing novice Ngannou, climbing off the mat to eke out a controversial split decision.

Two of the judges scored the bout for Fury (96-93 and 95-94), while the other had it 95-94 for Ngannou, who came close to arguably the biggest upset in the sport's history in his first ever professional fight.

Fury's WBC belt may not have been on the line but his pride will have taken a battering after being dropped and at times out-boxed by Ngannou, who was trained for the bout billed as the 'Battle of the Baddest' by his idol Mike Tyson.

Simon Kean had brief moments of success against Joseph Parker, testing the Kiwi heavyweight's chin.
After a cagey first two rounds in which Ngannou took some heavy punches from Fury and opened up a small cut on the champion's forehead, the contest exploded into life in the third when the big-hitting MMA star put the 'Gypsy King' on his backside with a left hook to the temple as they exchanged punches in the centre of the ring.

A dazed Fury got back to his feet as Ngannou danced in front of him, surviving the last 22 seconds of the round to make it back to his corner.

From then on, the Brit boxed more cautiously to claim a debatable points win that nevertheless keeps his unbeaten record intact.

Fury then met Usyk in the ring afterwards to promote their upcoming bout, though it was telling that his promoter Frank Warren was unwilling to agree to the December 23 date after seeing his star client go through hell.

Francis Ngannou stands over Tyson Fury after knocking him down during a thrilling main event.
"I don't think the date will be announced yet. The fight is done. Tyson has a cut there [on his forehead]. There's no point setting a date yet. Everybody wants this fight and it will break all box office records,” Warren said.

Fury blamed a lack of activity for his struggles in the ring and admitted Ngannou had taken him by surprise after promising an early night at the pre-fight weigh in.

“I've been out the ring a long time again, 11 months between my last fights. You can see it in here, ring rust, everything,” said Fury.

“No excuses though, Francis is a good fighter and he caught me with some good punches. Fair play to him. It was a good, rough fight.”