Joseph Parker vs Fabio Wardley: The Damaging Impact of Howard Foster’s Decisions

Let’s take a closer look at why Parker was, without question, wronged here—and why this isn’t just about one fight or one referee, but something deeper within the sport itself.

Parker is a former world champion who, prior to this fight, was arguably on the best run of his career—three years removed from his 11th-round knockout loss to Joe Joyce, the New Zealand fighter had won six straight, including victories over Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang, and Martin Bakole. He was even considered a strong contender for a fight with the current undisputed heavyweight champion, Oleksandr Usyk, but with Usyk sidelined by an injury, Parker took this fight to stay active, having not fought since February.

Parker controlled much of the fight against Wardley but was hurt late in the 10th round and wasn’t fully recovered as the 11th round began. Despite still being hurt, Parker was managing to avoid most of Wardley’s shots, while the British challenger seemed to be wearing himself out trying to land that finishing blow. But, as has often been the case with Foster, he stepped in and called a premature stoppage, leaving fans wondering what the real reason was.

Well, let me help you out with that. The Parker-Wardley bout was by no means the first instance in which Foster prematurely stopped a fight at the expense of a Wardley opponent. In April 2023, on the undercard of the Anthony Joshua-Jermaine Franklin event at The O2 Arena in London, Wardley secured a fourth-round TKO over Michael Coffie. A well-timed right hand from Wardley sent Coffie back into the ropes, and he followed up with several more right hands. Coffie, though hurt, managed to cover up effectively, yet Foster—undeterred—chose to stop the fight after Wardley unleashed a 20-punch combination, the majority of which missed their mark.

While a casual observer might view this as an unfortunate error in judgment, those familiar with Foster’s track record will recognize it as yet another instance of his recurring penchant for premature stoppages. It’s no accident; it’s his modus operandi. And, as it often goes in the sport, he is rewarded handsomely for his role as the designated referee who’s willing to do anything to remain employed.

There’s a reason why the term “British Stoppage” was coined as an insult to Foster—it’s a pattern that has shown up time and again, and here it is, rearing its ugly head once more.

Foster Keeps Foster-ing 

Carl Froch and George Groves met for the first time on November 23, 2013, with Froch’s two super middleweight world titles on the line. The bout commenced with an unexpected twist: Groves delivered a stunning first-round knockdown and proceeded to control substantial portions of the fight, much to the surprise of the more widely favored Froch. However, in the ninth round, Froch managed to hurt Groves with a series of punishing blows, and Foster immediately stepped in and stopped the fight. The decision was met with immediate outrage across the boxing community, with many labeling it as one of the most controversial and ill-timed stoppages in the sport’s history.

A rematch was swiftly arranged for the following year, and in that bout, Froch delivered a decisive eighth-round knockout, capping off his Hall of Fame career with a thunderous finish.

Ironically, Froch himself was outraged by Foster’s decision to halt Parker-Wardley when he did.

“The problem is, a right hand, then a left hook, then a right hand – and all three shots really missed when Fabio was putting it on him,” he said in his Froch on Fighting show. “Fabio had almost punched himself out. He was knackered, absolutely knackered.

“Parker leans back on the ropes, guard up. Three big wings from Fabio, they’re not impressive wings. If you’re the referee stood this side, you’re thinking they’re big, heavy, dangerous shots. But if you look, they don’t land clean, do they? Nothing lands.

“The ref jumps in too early. He was tired. He may have just robbed Fabio Wardley there of a great stoppage. Fabio Wardley may have just got the finish.”

It is abundantly clear that the objective here was to position Wardley for a potential title shot. While one might argue that Wardley could have eventually secured a stoppage against Parker on the basis of merit, we are left only with speculation. The undeniable fact remains: Foster’s premature intervention robbed us of the opportunity to witness the full course of the contest. In doing so, he denied not just the fans, but Wardley himself, a fair chance to demonstrate his capabilities in the ring. But this, regrettably, is Foster’s modus operandi. Ultimately, it is always a British fighter who stands to benefit—or, as was the case with George Groves, a British fighter who is sacrificed for the sake of a more marketable opponent.

This is, in part, why boxing has become a laughingstock in the United States. Fans are deprived of the matchups they desire, and when they do finally get the fights they’ve been waiting for, they are often marred by questionable decisions of various kinds. It’s akin to a situation where one is led to believe they’ve found ‘the one,’ only to have that illusion shattered when, without warning, they are confronted with a grotesque betrayal. Proponents of the sport in the industry often claim that boxing is alive and well globally. Yet if this pattern persists, it will not merely be a domestic decline in the U.S.; the corruption will tarnish boxing’s reputation on the world stage. The sport’s credibility is hanging by a thread, and it’s only a matter of time before the entire global community starts to see boxing as the farce it risks becoming.

Once again, it is entirely futile to demand that Foster be dismissed. These are precisely the individuals who continue to be rewarded in the sport, and, truth be told, the same can be said of many figures in the media. It matters not if your open letters or performative outcries are riddled with logical inconsistencies; the platform and financial backing are still yours. Congratulations. This cycle is growing increasingly tiresome.