Joseph Parker has faced some of the heavyweight division’s biggest hitters, not least Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua.
Parker was served his first loss by ‘AJ’ back in 2018, losing his WBO World Heavyweight World Title in the process. Recently, he has built back on an incredible run of form that includes beating Wilder and Zhilei Zhang on points.
Speaking to Through The Ropes, Parker said Zhang – who put him down twice – hit harder than Wilder though admitted he perhaps hadn’t felt the full force of the American.
“I would say Zhang [hit harder] cause he dropped me twice and landed the cleaner shots. Wilder did hit hard but never really clean. I was lucky my hand was up to catch his punches.”
This sentiment was backed up in a conversation with Tony Bellew, who revealed that the New Zealander does believe ‘Big Bang’ has hit him hardest out of all opponents – that includes Wilder, Joshua and Dillian Whyte.
“[Parker] actually told me Zhang’s the hardest he’s ever been hit in his life. He said Zhang hits so hard.”
Next up for Parker may be one man who hits harder than even Zhang – current IBF World Champion Daniel Dubois on February 22. Dubois recently knocked out Joshua in five to retain the belt it after he was elevated from interim to full champ when Oleksandr Usyk vacated the belt.
Chinese southpaw Zhang returns on the same card to face Agit Kabayel. Should both he and Parker win, Zhang will be angling for a contracted rematch that never came to fruition.