Zhilei Zhang vs Joseph Parker: Betting Odds & Prediction
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Former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker (34-3) takes on the current interim WBO heavyweight champion Zhilei Zhang (26-1-1) on March 8 th at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The event will be streamed live on DAZN PPV for £18.99 and aired on Sky Sports Box Office for £19.95.
The fight serves as the chief support to Anthony Joshua's heavyweight collision with MMA star Francis Ngannou in the main event.
Recent Form
Zhang is currently ranked the third best active heavyweight by Ring Magazine after defeating Joe Joyce twice in his last two fights by KO. Meanwhile, New Zealand's Parker is on a four-fight win streak, his most recent fight being a unanimous decision win over former world champion Deontay Wilder.
Former Olympic silver medallist Zhang has only lost once in his career in a controversial unanimous decision to Filip Hrgović in 2022. The fight also saw China's Zhang score a first-round knockdown. Parker already holds two victories over former world champions in Wilder and Andy Ruiz Jnr, who would later claim the WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight belts.
Undercard
Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou - 10 x 3 (Heavyweight) - MAIN EVENT
Rey Vargas vs Nick Ball – 12 x 3 (WBC featherweight title)
Mark Chamberlain vs Gavin Gwynne – 12 x 3 (Lightweight)
Jack McGann vs Louis Greene – 10 x 3 (Super-welterweight)
Justis Huni vs Kevin Lerena – 10 x 3 (Heavyweight)
Andrii Novytskyi vs Juan Torres – 8 x 3 (Heavyweight)
Ziyad Almaayouf vs Christian Lopez Flores – 6 x 3 (Super-lightweight)
Roman Fury vs Martin Svarc – 4 x 3 (Heavyweight)
Above: Watch OddsNow's Full Betting Preview for Zhang vs Parker and the rest of the card in Saudi Arabia.
Betting Odds
On the moneyline, Zhang enters a firm favourite on the back of wins over Joyce. William Hill offer the former at 1/2 outright, while Parker comes in at 19/10 with UniBET.
Heavyweights are renowned for eye-catching knockouts, with Coral backing the fight not going the distance at 4/7. Zhang winning by TKO/KO or Disqualification come in at 10/11 on Sky Bet, while Parker securing his 24th stoppage win enters at 13/2 with bet365.
The New Zealander boxed perfectly to the gameplan set by trainer Andy Lee against Wilder, winning wide on the judge's scorecards. BetUK have Parker to repeat that feat with another decision victory this weekend at 7/2.
Prediction
OddsNow back Zhang's size to prove too much for Parker with the former winning a closely-fought decision on the cards.