Parker Beats Zhang by Majority Decision in Riyadh
Joseph Parker defeated Zhilei Zhang by majority decision in their heavyweight bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on March 8, 2024. Parker recovered from two knockdowns to win on two judges’ cards, while the third judge scored the contest a draw. The fight went the full 12 rounds.
Parker Wins a Close Decision
The judges scored the bout 115-111 and 114-112 for Parker, with the remaining card at 113-113. Those totals produced a majority decision. Zhang knocked Parker down twice during the contest, but Parker continued and earned the victory on the scorecards. The result was a decision, not a knockout.
The fight was the first meeting between Parker and Zhang. It was held on the undercard of the heavyweight event headlined by Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou at Kingdom Arena. Parker’s win followed a competitive 12-round contest in which the knockdowns made the scoring important to the final result.
What the Result Means
A majority decision is awarded when two judges score the bout for one boxer and the third judge scores it a draw. That is what happened in Riyadh: two cards favored Parker, while one was even. The decision gave Parker a significant heavyweight victory and left Zhang with his first defeat since 2020.
Zhang had fought Joe Joyce twice in 2023 before meeting Parker in 2024. The Parker bout was the first meeting between those two heavyweights. The official result and contemporary coverage identify Parker as the winner by majority decision after 12 rounds.
Heavyweight Result
Parker beat Zhang on March 8, 2024, by majority decision in Riyadh. He was knocked down twice, but the judges’ scores of 115-111, 114-112, and 113-113 gave him the win. The result remains a clear example of why knockdowns and final scorecards both matter when reporting a boxing contest.
Sources
- Top Rank Boxing – Zhilei Zhang vs. Joseph Parker 2 | Fight Highlights (YouTube)
Article Tags
Zhilei Zhang, Joseph Parker, Zhang vs Parker 2, Heavyweight Boxing, Top Rank Boxing, Knockouts, Boxing 2023, Combat Sports, Fight Highlights, Rematch
Sources
Tags: Boxing, Combat Sports
