Former welterweight champion Shawn Porter has offered Joseph Parker advice on how the former WBO heavyweight champion should fight Deontay Wilder.
Wilder returns to the ring for the first time in more than a year in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, when he faces Parker following his one-round destruction of Robert Helenius in October 2022.
Parker boxed as recently as October 28, scoring an impressive third-round knockout victory against Simon Kean in Riyadh on the undercard of Tyson Fury’s 10-round split decision win over Francis Ngannou. Parker is unbeaten in three having been stopped by Joe Joyce in a war in September 2022. As well as Kean, Parker has defeated Jack Massey and Faiga Opelu. Wilder is his fourth fight of the year.
Despite Wilder’s inactivity, the ‘Bronze Bomber’ is a favourite with the bookmakers and, in trademark Wilder fashion, he is expected to win inside the distance.
Speaking on the podcast ‘The Porter Way,’ Porter suggested that Parker should not make himself a static target while attempting to land a punch of note in the early stages of the fight.
“My game plan, if I was Joseph Parker, is to use your jab and feints and try to land something early,” said Porter. “You land something early and get back on your movement.”
However, Porter has questioned how Wilder will handle the inactivity he has endured for multiple reasons, partly including drawn-out negotiations with fellow former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua. However, a reported two-fight agreement between the heavyweight rivals could be on tap for 2024.
“With Deontay being out of the ring as long as he has been – I talk about having fights in the gym, but there is still that one element you can’t really simulate, which is the energy and the moment of the fight,” Porter added.
“So if you’re Parker, use your jab, use feints, don’t allow Deontay to find his rhythm. It’s been too long. He [Parker]’s going to have to find his range. If he lands something early, he might have some success, and this fight could go some rounds.”
