Dillian Whyte brutalizes Joseph Parker and sinks into heavyweight computing | sport

For half an hour, Dillian Whyte and Joseph Parker embarked on a high-profile dance in front of 20,000 fans without delivering the battle candidate of the year that many were waiting for. In the final moments, however, the Londoner had to leave the canvas to retain a 113-112, 115-110, 114-111 win that keeps him in the picture for a rematch with world champion Anthony Joshua. 19659002] But Parker – who took the distance of Joshua last October – made the Londoners work. The judges have understood that, and Whyte has learned more in those 12 rounds than in previous fights, including his loss to Joshua.

Parker's previous 10 opponents had a combined record of 261-27. -6. Whyte's opponents on the same stretch had won 318 fights, lost 72 and shot three. Their only setbacks were against Joshua. But both continued to fight with the only heavyweight to stand in the way of Joshua holding all the belts, WBC champion Deontay Wilder.

So, we could not question the pedigree of every man, or their willingness to bet on their gifts.

Parker, a stone and a little lighter, looked at him, pale and dry. Uncharacteristically, he had predicted a knockout. Behind a bright silver jab, he has landed enough young hamsters for Whyte to question his own prediction of a stop. The first signs were that it could be a delightful affair.

The boxing lesson was going to be planned in the second, until Parker, unbalanced, ran to a whim that the referee, Ian John-Lewis, called a knockdown.

Legitimate or not, it was enough to encourage Whyte – and alert Parker about the obvious dangers at hand. Parker's variety to the head and body impressed, but the aggression and power of Whyte also impressed him. It was almost the perfect match.

Whyte's confidence, never missing, increased, and his strength began to speak in close exchanges. The referee missed his flagrant outfit and knocked on the back of the head, but the Londoner had an advantage after four rounds.

The pressure was now one-sided, Parker breathing heavily and holding his hangman at bay with showers of jabs The "Snatcher of the Body", according to Whyte's label, was working Parker on the inside to halfway, but the New Zealander was not easily discouraged. Finally, John-Lewis warned Whyte of blows on the back of the head, and Parker returned to the dashboard.

There was no lull. Parker ran out of trouble and gave enough shots to win seventh, but he still trailed.

Whyte, typing, looked for an opening while Parker slowed down into eighth position, but just dared to shade the points. Both, it seemed, were sparing a little for a late charge.

The non-aggression pact did not last long. Parker, losing focus, misjudged an uppercut and stepped on a left hook, hitting the deck with a thud. He was hurt and still dangerous, but exhausted.

Parker needed the knockout he had predicted. Trained by adversity, he attacked but without conviction. Whyte was waiting, undisturbed by the best shots at his opponent's head. Inactivity cost him the ride, though he did not seem concerned.

He should have been. Rocked to his boots towards the end of the 11th, he found Parker more resistant than an enemy that he could have imagined a few laps earlier.

The fight was yet to lose from Whyte in the final round and he immediately found himself in the serious trouble when Parker opened again. The tired arms were now flying in both directions, informed by despair and not without a little courage.

A series of shots to the head put Downte, spent. He was a seated duck, but time ran out for Parker, in the end a more than worthy dance partner. There are a lot of friends.

There was a discernible thread running in the evening. Dereck Chisora, rarely in a fight easy or bad and favorite fans after his defeat Whyte in 2016, shocked everyone except him and his coach, Don Charles, eliminating Carlos Takam – who had given hard fights to Joshua and Parker. And what a fight at all, two giant shock absorbers, which curl brutally and almost in harmony – until a crisp right hand places the 37-year-old Frenchman in the eighth. He got up, groggy, and the Londoner threw him on the floor with a vicious finality for one of the best victories of his career.

Katie Taylor's 10th professional fight proved to be as exciting and predictable as those that preceded her: a stopover victory for Irish legend, outperforming Kimberly Connor, on her feet and wobbles in the third round.

A header clash in the first round leaves Taylor with an ugly mark on the right cheek, but the undefeated IBF and WBA champion remains on track for his consistent career goal to unify the world lightweight title.