Joseph Parker shocks the world with stunning upset win over Deontay Wilder

New Zealand boxing superstar Joseph Parker has delivered a masterclass for the ages as he stunned the boxing world on Sunday.

Jai Opetaia knocks Ellis Zorro out cold. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

The biggest card boxing has ever seen delivered on Sunday morning (AEDT) as fans were gifted some truly phenomenal bouts.

Australian star Jai Opetaia delivered the early fireworks as he scored a hellacious knockout win after being stripped of his IBF title.

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But the biggest shock of all came in the co-main event when New Zealand star Joseph Parker pulled off the stunning upset victory against American Deontay Wilder.

The victory all but ends hopes of a heavyweight showdown between Wilder and main event winner Anthony Joshua with Parker now moving up for a title shot.

Recap the action below.

10.30am - Anthony Joshua delivers brutal masterclass

The Anthony Joshua looks like he has returned.

A dominant five round showing from the former British heavyweight champion left his rival’s corner throwing in the towel.

Joshua poured on the pressure early before unleashing in the fifth round. A monster right hand stunned his opponent and he rained down shot after shot.

Otto Wallin stuck it out until the round came to an end but he never got back up off his stool as his team called it off.

Now attention will turn to who Joshua fights next after his blockbuster showdown with Deontay Wilder went up in smoke after the American was stunned by Kiwi Joseph Parker.

Joshua dominated Wallin. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

Round 1: The main event is upon us. Looks like we’re doing this one with some technical issues as the audio has completely gone. Joshua has taken the centre of the ring as he looks to control the bout, no real meaningful shots from either man but Joshua the more active early. 10-9 Joshua

Round 2: Joshua doing damage early as Wallin has a little cut over his left eye and a slow stream of blood coming from his nose. 20-18 Joshua

Round 3: Joshua is working his rival over with shots to the body and the head. The Swedish boxer hasn’t been able to deliver any response. 30-27 Joshua

Round 4: The right hand of Joshua has come absurdly close to landing clean on the button of his rvial. He lands that shot and it will be all over. He’s in control here. 40-36 Joshua

Round 5: Joshua just poured it on, he landed some hellacious shots as Wallin stumbled around the ring. He managed to survive the onslaught but at the end of the round his team has seen enough and the fight was waved off.

10am - ‘Shocks the world’: Parker pulls off stunning upset

New Zealand star Joseph Parker has just stunned the heavyweight division and thrown a cat amongst the pigeons with a monster upset.

Deontay Wilder entered the bout as the heavy favourite, but it was complete and utter domination from Parker throughout the entire 12 rounds.

Parker executed his game plan to absolute perfection as he controlled the distance in the fight and landed constantly on his American rival.

The boxing world was watching the fight hoping to see the Wilder of old and his knockout power return, but the former heavyweight champion offered up next to nothing.

After the final bell rang, and despite his lacklustre showing, Wilder raised his hands to the sky feeling he had won the bout.

But it was one-way traffic for the Kiwi and the three judges sitting ringside agreed. It now leaves Parker at the top of the pile for a title shot.

Chris Mannix on DAZN’s coverage said this win from Parker will send “shockwaves” through the division. “He’s shocked the world,” another commentator added.

DEONTAY WILDER LOSES TO JOSEPH PARKER VIA UNANIMOUS DECISION 😳🍿 pic.twitter.com/Xqq3rzRPrM

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 23, 2023

“A lot of respect to Wilder, a dangerous fight, but we trained hard for this fight,” Parker said after the famous win.

“A lot of people had plans, other plans, but this is God’s plan. Today I got the win, merry Christmas to us.

“Maybe inactivity played a big part? It’s a great finish to the year.

“Practice, practice practice, work work work. I had to be switched on the whole fight.

“He did catch me on the glove and I could feel the power, if he landed it might have been different.

“Tyson Fury, thanks for all your help.”

Wilder gets on the microphone and believed he had done enough to have seen his hand raised in victory. We’re not entirely sure how he thought he won.

“I did [ do enough],” he says.

“My timing was off a little bit.

“He did a good job avoiding my punches.

“No excuses. It wasn’t my night.”

Parker dominated. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

Round 1: Here we go, the co-main event is away. Parker is controlling the centre of the ring as Wilder circles around the ropes. A very patient start from both men as they work out the distance and feel each other out. The Kiwi Parker landed the only real shot of the round. 10-9 Parker

Round 2: Parker continues to control the centre of the ring as he stays out of the reach of Wilder. It’s a very quiet start to the fight with neither fighter wanting to close the gap and get caught. 10-18 Parker

Round 3: Wilder just seems content sitting back and waiting for an opening to unleash his nuclear right hand. Parker picking up the pace a little more in the third. Still no major damage from either man. 30-27 Parker

Round 4: A big right hand from Parker sparked Wilder into action as he responded with his own right. Parker is attacking his opponent more here and landing the more telling of the blows. 40-36 Parker

Round 5: Parker again continues to be the aggressor as Wilder sits back looking for the home run finish. The American hasn’t been able to land anything of note as the Kiwi takes control. 50-45 Parker

Round 6: Wilder has shown throughout his career all it takes is one punch, but he’s barely throwing punches so far. He showed one instance of turning it on but that was it. Parker is controlling the distance and landing the shots. 60-54 Parker

Round 7: Into the second half of the fight we go and it’s been one-way traffic for Parker so far. Parker just continues to control the fight as Wilder waits for his KO opening. 70-63 Parker

Round 8: Parker unleashed a hellacious flurry of shots and had Wilder in all sorts as the fight looked dangerously close to being stopped. 80-72

Round 9: What is Wilder doing? He’s being completely shut out and not responding to anything. Parker in complete control. 90-81

Round 10: Wilder finally showed some signs of life but he’s still not able to land anything impactful on Parker who has executed this fight to perfection. 99-90 Parker

Round 11: Another round of Wilder swinging for the fences but Parker getting out of the way and responding in kind. Parker continues to control the distance from the middle of the ring. 109-99 Parker

Round 12: Parker has the fight won on the cards but he wants a finish and he’s come out swinging. As Chris Mannix said on DAZN’s coverage, this win from Parker will send “shockwaves” through the division. Wilder swung for the fences but his game plan tonight was nothing short of garbage. What a fight and what a win from the Kiwi star. 119-108.

“He’s shocked the world,” one DAZN commentator said.

8.20am – Complete domination from light heavyweight champ

Dmitry Bivol has delivered a 12-round masterclass in the latest defence of his WBA light-heavyweight title.

Taking on British boxer Lyndon Arthur, Bivol came out firing from the opening bell and didn’t take his foot off the gas until the final bell.

Arthur wasn’t able to inflict any form of damage on the champion as all three judges scored the bout in favour of Bivol (120-107).

Surprised Arthur survived that onslaught. Credit to him.

No more playing around. Gotta do Bivol x Beterbiev/Smith, especially if Beterbiev wins next month.

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) December 23, 2023

Round 1: The champ has come out with the pressure ramped all the way up. Bivol isn’t giving Arthur any space as he works behind his jab. 10-9 Bivol

Round 2: The herky-jerky footwork and feints from Bivol are making it near impossible for Arthur to do anything. The champ hasn’t taken his foot off the gas and landed some heavy shots in the middle of the round. This is domination early. 20-18 Bivol

Round 3: The champ is on a mission here, Arthur has absolutely no answers as Bivol rains down blows from every angle. 30-27 Bivol

Round 4: Arthur can’t figure out his opponent. The challenger is stuck on the backfoot once again as the pressure continues to build from the champion. 40-36 Bivol

Round 5: More of the same in the fifth as Bivol continues his assault on Arthur. The British challenger isn’t doing a whole lot in the fight. 50-45 Bivol

Round 6: For the first time in this fight we’ve seen signs of life from Arthur, his productivity began to pick up. Bivol still the aggressor as he hunts a big finish. 60-54 Bivol

Round 7: One-way traffic here for the champ. Backed Arthur up to the ropes and picked him apart with body shots and heavy hooks. 70-63 Bivol

Round 8: Brutal body shots piling up here now from Bivol. Arthur responded with a right to the body of his own which looked to have hurt the champ. Bivol hit back in the latter stages with some heavy shots. 80-72 Bivol

Round 9: It’s time now for Arthur to throw caution to the wind, he’s being shut-out of this fight with Bivol in complete control behind his jab. 90-81 Bivol

Round 10: The tempo may have dropped off from the early stages, but Bivol remains in control as he picks Arthur off with jabs and body shots. 100-90

Round 11: Bivol turned the pressure all the way up late in the round as he sent Arthur to the canvas behind some brutal shots to the body. Arthur survived the count before the bell saved him. 110-98

Round 12: The champ came agonisingly close to finishing off the challenger. Bivol unleashed a flurry of shots to kick off the round with shots landing all over the place, the referee was ready to jump in but Arthur survived the onslaught. Complete and utter domination throughout from Bivol. 120-107.

Bivol was in complete control. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

7am – Daniel Dubois emphatically shuts down critics

Daniel Dubois has long been branded a quitter, on Sunday the British heavyweight silenced his critics in style.

Jarrell Miller trash-talked his rival heavily as the fight drew closer, but it was Dubois who walked the walk in the ring.

Dubois came out as the more productive fighter in the opening rounds, but he looked gassed early. Miller, who tipped the scales weighing 40 kilograms more, ate some heavy shots but fought back in brutal fashion.

The longer the fight went out it became clear the fight was in Dubois’ control.

In the tenth and final round the onslaught went to a new level as the Brit smelt blood in the water and went after his opponent.

Dubois unleashed heavy blows and while Miller looked to hang on for the final bell, he couldn’t do it as the referee was forced to jump in and stop the fight with only 10 seconds left.

Dubois closes the show with an onslaught to stop Miller in closing seconds of the fight. Big win for him. Good fight. #boxing#DayOfReckoning

— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) December 23, 2023

Agreed. He was labeled a quitter after the Joyce fight and that was unfair. Done now. https://t.co/7iRq5xxgvY

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) December 23, 2023

6am – Aussie star delivers murderous knockout

Jai Opetaia wasn’t happy about being stripped of his IBF cruiserweight belt and took his anger out on Ellis Zorro in murderous fashion.

The Aussie lost his belt after electing to take the fight on the monster card, but he showed the world why he’s the most devastating cruiserweight on the planet.

As the pair exchanged in the opening round, Opetaia launched forward with a nuclear left hook that landed clean on the button.

The shot sent Zorro crashing straight back to the canvas with his neck landing on the bottom rope.

Jai Opetaia drills Ellis Zorro in the closing seconds of the opening Round 1. Sharp left hand levels Zorro, whose head appeared to bang off the canvas. Spectacular KO for the world’s best cruiserweight. Serious talent.

— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) December 23, 2023

Jai Opetaia knocks out Ellis Zorro in round one to defend his Ring Magazine cruiserweight belt. Ruthless one-punch KO.

— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) December 23, 2023

“I trained for 12 rounds, but if the knockout comes, it comes,” Opetaia says.

“He was very hesitant, but he was a bit too hesitant and he got clipped. That’s the way it goes.

“I did [take some of the week’s frustration out in the ring], but look at this place. I’m happy to be here,” Opetaia says.

“I’m pumped, first round knockout, I’m ready for the next fight.

“The last 18 months is all part of the journey.

“It’s all built to where I am now and I’m excited for the next step.

“These dudes put the people in front of me and I knock them out.”

Promoter Eddie Hearn was full of praise for the Aussie and predicted a big move up to the heavyweight division.

“I believe Jai can do the same thing [as Oleksandr Usyk],” Hearn says.

“I would like to see him become undisputed in the cruiserweight before he moves up to heavyweight.

“And that is inevitable, this is one of the most exciting fighters on the planet.

“He’s one of the best fighters on the planet.”

The left hook that ended it all. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

6am – Day of Reckoning full card and results

Anthony Joshua vs. Otto Wallin, heavyweights

Joseph Parker def. Deontay Wilder via unanimous decision (118-111, 118-110 and 120-108)

Dmitry Bivol (c) def. Lyndon Arthur via unanimous decision (120-107 x3)

Daniel Dubois def. Jarrell Miller via tenth-round TKO

Agit Kabayel def. Arslanbek Makhmudov via fourth-round TKO

Jai Opetaia def. Ellis Zorro via first-round knockout

Filip Hrgovic def. Mark De Morio via first-round TKO

Frank Sanchez def. Junior Fa via seventh-round TKO