Under pressure
The star ratings indicate how well the writer believes the fighters match up, the fight(s)’ contextual significance, and how good the fight(s) will be
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UNDERCARD
JUST over 18 months after they were originally scheduled to collide, heavyweights Derek Chisora and Joseph Parker are set to do battle at Manchester Arena this Saturday (May 1) – atop a pay-per-view card, no less.
As the headline acts on a Sky Sports Box Office bill in the UK (DAZN televise in the US), the pressure is on Chisora and Parker to deliver, especially considering the criticism that has come Matchroom’s way for deeming this event PPV-worthy. But for the two chief protagonists, this commercial pressure pales in comparison to the competitive pressure that they find themselves under. Simply put, they are fighting to remain relevant at the top end of the heavyweight division. The severe consequences of a defeat are not lost on Parker.
“I’m well aware that a win on British soil and on worldwide television will put me in pole position, whereas a loss will be catastrophic,” the New Zealander acknowledged. “Chisora
