Boxing: Joseph Parker v Anthony Joshua - What the stats say

Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker square up. Photo / Getty Images

The big talking point heading into this Joseph Parker v Anthony Joshua bout has been Parker's underdog status, along with the fact that both of these fighters are undefeated.

As impressive as that is, we look into what makes up these two world champions and what the stats say about their past fights and the upcoming fight on 1 April.

Anthony Joshua

Record: 20-0 (20 KOs/100%)
Height: 200cm
Reach: 208cm

Anthony Joshua has twice fought in Cardiff in the past, though only once at the venue of his fight against Joseph Parker - Principality Stadium. That match came in 2017 against Carlos Takam, who entered the bout with a 35-3-1 record, though Joshua made sure to add a loss to the that with a TKO win in round 10.

Joshua's only other bout in Cardiff came at Motorpoint Arena in March 2014. The Brit was a lot more convincing in this encounter, knocking out Dorian Darch in the second round.

In terms of undefeated opponents, Joshua has faced two of which in his professional boxing career. The first came in Joshua's 14th professional bout where he fought Scotsman Gary Cornish. It took just 90 seconds before Joshua forced the referee to wave the fight off.

Next up in terms of undefeated opponents was the six-foot-seven-inch American Dominic Breazeale, coming three fights after the Cornish bout. It took Joshua seven rounds, but he secured the TKO victory to maintain his 100% knockout record.

Other Anthony Joshua facts worth noting:

•Joshua has won eight of his 20 professional fights in the second round (40%), one of which was a world title bout (vs. Charles Martin)
•Despite stopping every opponent he's faced, Joshua has never done so in the fourth round before
•Joshua's last two fights have been late stoppages; in the 11th round versus Wladimir Klitschko and in the 10th round versus Carlos Takam

Joseph Parker

Record: 24-0 (18 KOs/75%)
Height: 193cm
Reach: 193cm

The ties between Joseph Parker and undefeated opponents or fights in Cardiff are a bit less pronounced, with Parker never having fought in Welsh capital. Though, like Joshua, Parker has come up against two undefeated fighters on his way to his 24-0 record.

Andy Ruiz Jr. was the first opponent that Parker faced off against with an undefeated record and it was Parker that came away with the majority decision win after the fight went the distance at Spark Arena.

Just two fights later, Parker was coming up against Hughie Fury who was also undefeated. Much like the Ruiz fight, neither fighter was able to cause an early stoppage, with Parker coming out victorious in a majority decision.

Other Joseph Parker facts worth noting:

•Five of Joseph Parker's last 11 fights have been stopped before the fourth round
•Only one of Parker's last 15 fights has ended between rounds seven and nine
•Parker's last three fights have all gone the distance, with Parker winning two by majority decision and one by unanimous decision

-TAB