Boxing Dec 07, 2025

Joshua Buatsi beats Zach Parker in controversial decision after gruelling British light-heavyweight clash

👤
By Admin
Sports Journalist
Joshua Buatsi beats Zach Parker in controversial decision after gruelling British light-heavyweight clash

Zach Parker said he was "fuming" after losing a controversial decision to fellow British light-heavyweight Joshua Buatsi on Saturday.

One judge scored the Manchester bout a 95-95 draw, while the other two saw it as a 96-94 victory for Buatsi.

After suffering a first defeat five fights to drop his record to 27-4, Parker insisted the decision should have gone his way.

He told DAZN: "Fuming. I won that fight easy. I think every single person at ringside said I won it.

"I won literally almost every round. If I outbox him and he can't even touch me, I should be champion now and going on to bigger fights."

Many ringside observers thought Parker had done enough to win the scrappy contest.

"Everyone's got eyes, so they can see the fight," Parker added. "He can't even a land a clean shot on me. I should be champion. I'm just pi**ed off.

"(I'd probably give him) one round, and that was early. The later rounds, he couldn't even catch me. I was comfortable in there.

"I should be going on for bigger titles and bigger money fights. I'm trying to change my daughter's life, and I get decisions like that."

Olympic bronze medallist Buatsi (20-1) returned to winning ways after suffering the first defeat of his professional career to Callum Smith in February.

Buatsi said: "I must admit it wasn't my best performance, but what do champions do? They win. Regardless of how it comes, you take it."

The fight was somewhat spoilt by excessive holding throughout, which on several occasions resulted in Parker dropping from the clinches to the canvas.

The pair each felt that the other should have been penalised for their tactics.

Parker said: "When he's pushed me down, what do you want me to do?

"I can't keep lifting him up. He's 14 stone or whatever, I'm going to waste my energy. If he's pushing me down, the referee should probably say, 'stop pushing him down.' I wouldn't keep going down to the floor then.

"A little bit scrappy at times, but if that's the way you can win a fight and outbox him and jab his head off all night, he couldn't even catch me with a shot."

Buatsi, with whom the judges appeared to agree with, was unimpressed by Parker's tactics.

"I don't know what style that is," Buatsi siad.

"You keep holding and going on the floor… you can't be on the floor about six times and claim you won the fight."

The controversial nature of the decision is likely to fuel calls for a rematch, but the lack of entertainment the fight produced could lead Buatsi's new promoter Frank Warren to think twice about taking up such an option.

Tags:

boxing news id:13462371

Share this article

Related Posts

Caroline Dubois: I'll go undisputed this year and chase the Alycia Baumgardner fight

Caroline Dubois: I'll go undisputed this year and chase the Alycia Baumgardner fight

Caroline Dubois is looking to go undisputed this year and meet Alycia Baumgardner in a major transatlantic clash.The Londoner is an unbeaten WBC light...

Anthony Joshua car crash: Trial of driver involved in fatal collision has hearing adjourned until February 25

Anthony Joshua car crash: Trial of driver involved in fatal collision has hearing adjourned until February 25

The trial of the driver involved in the fatal accident that injured Anthony Joshua and killed two of his team has been adjourned until next month.Aden...

Tyson Fury: Who is best option for former heavyweight world champion's comeback fight?

Tyson Fury: Who is best option for former heavyweight world champion's comeback fight?

Tyson Fury has brought the retirement, that kept him out of action through the whole of last year, to an end.He is expected to have his 38th professio...

Oleksandr Usyk is welcome to defend his WBC title against Deontay Wilder, says WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman

Oleksandr Usyk is welcome to defend his WBC title against Deontay Wilder, says WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has reiterated that Deontay Wilder is "welcome" to challenge for Oleksandr Usyk's WBC title amid speculation about a f...

Tyson Fury: Arslanbek Makhmudov one of 'top three' options for April comeback fight, says manager Spencer Brown

Tyson Fury: Arslanbek Makhmudov one of 'top three' options for April comeback fight, says manager Spencer Brown

Tyson Fury is holding advanced contract talks over a comeback fight in April and Arslanbek Makhmudov is among the 'top three' potential opponent, conf...

Tyson Fury: Eddie Hearn says boxing heavyweight 'still in his prime' and 2026 comeback to fight in ring good news

Tyson Fury: Eddie Hearn says boxing heavyweight 'still in his prime' and 2026 comeback to fight in ring good news

Tyson Fury is still in his "prime" and his return to boxing is great for the sport, says Eddie Hearn.Fury, 37, confirmed at the start of January he wi...