Tyson Fury was ringside at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday night, watching as Fabio Wardley stopped Joseph Parker in the 11th round to claim the WBO interim heavyweight title. Sitting alongside promoter Frank Warren, Fury witnessed a dramatic bout that ended amid debate over whether the stoppage came too soon.
Referee Howard Foster halted the contest after Wardley landed a barrage of unanswered punches, drawing criticism from fans and pundits. Later, it was revealed that Parker was ahead on two of the three scorecards, with the third even, meaning he would have won by majority decision had he survived the final rounds. The result now puts Wardley in line for a potential 2026 showdown with undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk.
Fury, who maintains a close friendship with Parker, spent time with the New Zealander in the dressing room before the fight. On Sunday morning, he shared his thoughts via Instagram, revealing his own unofficial scorecard and praising both fighters.
“I had Joe up four rounds going into round 11,” Fury said. “It’s heavyweight boxing - you can’t go swimming and not get wet. The referee jumped in after a few unanswered shots. It’s one of those things. You can get caught - I know all about getting caught. But overall, it was a fantastic event between two great heavyweights.”
Offering support to his friend, Fury added, “Joseph Parker’s gonna come back stronger - I know that. Commiserations to my brother and all the team. Everyone did a fantastic job, and everybody got home in one piece - can’t say fairer than that.”
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