Wilder vs Parker Predictions: ‘The Bronze Bomber’ will detonate at the halfway mark

‘The Bomb Squad’ is back in business on Saturday night as Deontay Wilder takes on teak-tough New Zealander Joseph Parker. As recently as 2018, this fight would have been a unification fight between WBC champion Wilder and WBO kingpin Parker. The belts might be gone these days, but this one still has world class credentials.

Like Anthony Joshua’s tall task against Otto Wallin, there was certainly easier prey out there for Wilder. In truth both Wilder and Joshua could have taken knockovers with the goal of facing each other in mind. But in fairness to both men, they have each taken worthy and potentially-dangerous fights before their own showdown.

Parker is no longer at world title level, but that feels like more a reflection of the fighters that have come along since his WBO title reign than his own abilities. The New Zealander’s credentials are clear, with wins on his resume against the likes of Andy Ruiz Jr, Derek Chisora and Carlos Takam. 

Parker is durable but he can be stopped. While Joshua failed to halt him in their 2018 unification bout, Joe Joyce got the job in the 11th round of a 2022 war. Parker can ride a shot, with conqueror Dillian Whyte hitting him with some heavy leather. But what Wilder brings is on another level.

In 46 fights, Tyson Fury is the only man Deontay Wilder has never stopped. The one decision win on his ledger, against Bermane Stiverne, saw ‘The Bronze Bomber’ knock out his foe in the first round of their rematch. Only Fury and his almost-supernatural powers of recovery have stained Wilder’s impeccable resume. To put it bluntly, the Olympian is lethal.

It looks like a case of when and not if Wilder stops Parker. That might be unfair on the 31-year-old, given his own credentials as a former world king. But he doesn’t possess either the power to put Wilder off his stride or the unorthodox wizardry that Fury used to befuddle him. Wilder can be hurt, but Parker doesn’t have the tools to do it.

Parker will make a fight of it. This one won’t resemble the Robert Helenius rout last year, when Deontay needed just two minutes and 57 seconds to dispose of him. Parker’s wars with Chisora and Whyte demonstrated his durability. But it only takes one shot and Wilder has shown time and again he can deliver it.

But Parker will likely stick around for a while. He’s fresher and more gifted than the likes of Helenius. But like time itself, Wilder waits for no man. ‘The Bronze Bomber’ will detonate around the halfway mark, with a Wilder knockout in rounds 4-6 available at 5/2. If you think Parker is made of stronger stuff, the 7-9 is up at 3/1. As alluded to before, it looks like a case of when and not if when it comes to Wilder knocking out Parker.