Written by John Ryder and Zach Parker will face off in an important all-British super middleweight bout Saturday in London.
ZACH PARKER (22-0, 16 KOs) vs. JOHN RYDER (31-5, 17 KOs)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 26
Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (7 p.m. GMT) (main event later in show)
Where: 02 Arena, London
TV/Stream: ESPN+ (BT Sport in U.K.)
Division: Super middleweights (168 pounds)
At stake: No major titles
Pound-for-pound ranking: None
Odds: Parker 1½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Hamzah Sheeraz vs. River Wilson-Bent, middleweights; Pierce O’Leary vs. Emmanuel Mungandjela, super middleweights; Dennis McCann vs. Joe Ham, junior featherweights; Sam Noakes vs. Calvin McCord, lightweights
Prediction: Ryder SD
Background: Parker and Ryder, ranked Nos. 1 and 2 by the WBO, will be fighting for the sanctioning body’s “interim” title and the right to face champion Canelo Alvarez. Ryder, who has made a strong impression against elite opponents in recent years, faces another stiff challenge in his hometown. The 34-year-old lost a unanimous decision to then-titleholder Callum Smith in 2019 but he pushed his respected countryman to his limits. And he upset Daniel Jacobs by a split decision in his most recent fight, this past February, proving that he belongs among the best 168-pounders. Parker, a 28-year-old from central England, is a well-schooled boxer-puncher. He has looked sensational in recent fights – stopping his last five opponents – but Ryder represents a step up in opposition. We’ll learn a lot about Parker in this fight.