Boxing: Joshua beats Parker by unanimous decision

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Cardiff, April 1: Anthony Joshua added Joseph Parker's WBO heavyweight crown to his WBA and IBF titles after being forced to go the 12-round distance for the first time by the previously unbeaten New Zealander in a Cardiff encounter than never truly caught fire.

Parker pledged to outwork, outbox and outlast Joshua, no doubt garnering encouragement from his opponent's workmanlike showing against Carlos Takam last time out, but it was the 28-year-old Briton who decisively banked rounds down the closing stretch, with his opponent never able to crack the puzzle presented to him by a spearing left jab.

Joshua's quest to become the first undisputed world heavyweight champion since his compatriot Lennox Lewis at the end of the last century remains on track and a showdown with motormouth WBC ruler Deontay Wilder – conspicuous by his absence from ringside on Saturday – would be likely to carry far greater excitement.

It was a match-up the champion enthusiastically shouted for after the bout, with Parker conceding he came off second best against a foe he expected to leave a lot more out of breath.

Source: OPTA/Omnisport