Summary

  • Briton Anthony Joshua stops Francis Ngannou in heavyweight bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

  • Joshua knocks out Ngannou in round two after two knockdowns in one-sided fight

  • Joshua, 34, urges MMA fighter Ngannou to stay in boxing despite second straight loss

  • Liverpool's Nick Ball fights to draw against WBC featherweight champion Rey Vargas

  • Ball scored two knockdowns but denied first world title by judges

  • Heavyweight Joseph Parker suffers two knockdowns against Zhilei Zhang but wins via majority decision

  • Scorecards read 113-113, 114-112 & 115-111 for Parker who becomes new WBO interim champion

  • Get involved #bbcboxing, text 81111 (UK only - standard rates apply) or WhatsApp 03301231826

  1. Postpublished at 00:05 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March

    Two down and one to go...

    Next up it's the main event of the evening [*early morning]. The moment you've all been very patiently waiting for as Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou go toe-to-toe.

  2. 'This is a great win'published at 00:04 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March

    Parker beats Zhang by majority decision

    Joseph Parker speaking to DAZN after beating Zhilei Zhang by majority decision: "Thank you to my team. This is a great win. I feel like we're on the up now. Zhang is a tough man, he knocked me down twice. I'm very happy and go home and celebrate.

    "Hard work, hard work. After the defeat to Joe Joyce and the win over Jack Massey, I still wasn't happy with my performance. Now, look where we are.

    "We are contracted to have a rematch so we will do it again."

    Joseph Parker shakes hands with Tyson FuryImage source, Getty Images
  3. Postpublished at 00:03 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March

    Parker beats Zhang by majority decision

    That is some result for Joseph Parker.

    He was knocked down on two occasions in that fight but still gets the win.

    Parker takes the WBO interim heavyweight title and is joined in the ring by his entourage, including WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.

    The Kiwi makes it five wins on the bounce, having beaten Deontay Wilder last time out, and he moves to an overall record of 35 wins and three defeats.

    Asked what is next, Parker says "a rematch with Zhang. We've got a contract".

  4. And the new...published at 23:59 Greenwich Mean Time 8 March
    Breaking

    Parker beats Zhang by majority decision

    Joseph Parker winner graphic
  5. Postpublished at 23:58 Greenwich Mean Time 8 March

    Zhang v Parker

    Zhang is being paraded around the ring with his arm raised. His corner think he has done enough with those two knockdowns, he did little else.

    Zhang and Parker have both had time to get their gloves off and they are having a chat as we wait for the judges' scorecards.

    We had a long wait for the scorecards in the previous fight between Rey Vargas and Nick Ball and that ended in a split decision draw...

  6. Round twelvepublished at 23:56 Greenwich Mean Time 8 March

    Zhang v Parker

    No sign of fireworks in the final round.

    It's slow and ponderous, that's been a theme throughout.

    Barely a punch thrown as the bell rings and that's it.

    Over to the judges once again.

    Joseph Parker and Zhilei ZhangImage source, Getty Images
  7. Postpublished at 23:56 Greenwich Mean Time 8 March

    Zhang v Parker

    Steve Bunce
    Boxing expert on BBC Radio 5 Live

    I absolutely think Parker is doing enough but I think it's going to be close with the knockdowns.

  8. Postpublished at 23:53 Greenwich Mean Time 8 March

    Zhang v Parker

    Steve Bunce
    Boxing expert on BBC Radio 5 Live

    That's three or four rounds now where Zhang hasn't thrown a shot in the last 30 seconds.

  9. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 23:51 Greenwich Mean Time 8 March

    #bbcboxing, WhatsApp 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply)

    Very flat crowd but to be fair, it's nearly 3am in Saudi!

    Martin, at a normal time

  10. Round elevenpublished at 23:51 Greenwich Mean Time 8 March

    Zhang v Parker

    Zhang is wearing a bit of damage to his right cheek, it's looking a little rosy.

    Parker closes the distance and lands to the body but then backs off again.

    One round to go!

    Joseph Parker lands a jab on Zhilei ZhangImage source, Getty Images
  11. Postpublished at 23:48 Greenwich Mean Time 8 March

    Zhang v Parker

    Derek Chisora
    Heavyweight on BBC Radio 5 Live

    Parker needs to get off the stool and let them go but he won't do that because he's a nice boy.

  12. Postpublished at 23:48 Greenwich Mean Time 8 March

    Kal Sajad
    BBC Sport at Kingdom Arena, Riyadh

    To answer David in Cardiff's question - it's far from a lively crowd. Every so often a select group will start chanting a fighters' name but the shouting is short lived.

    You know it's pretty flat when you can hear the TV commentary who are sat about a couple of metres from me.

    I've seen the odd travelling Briton here and there but it's on the most made up of locals.

    Although, there are significantly more people in here than when Joshua fought Otto Wallin in the Day of Reckoning card in December.

  13. Round tenpublished at 23:48 Greenwich Mean Time 8 March

    Zhang v Parker

    Parker is throwing plenty in this round but Zhang is happy to stand in front of the Kiwi and soak up those shots on his gloves.

    Zhang is inches away with a looping right.

    Parker has two rounds left to try and salvage something.

    Joseph Parker lands on Zhilei ZhangImage source, Getty Images
  14. Postpublished at 23:44 Greenwich Mean Time 8 March

    Zhang v Parker

    Steve Bunce
    Boxing expert on BBC Radio 5 Live

    Parker needs to take the risk here. He really needs to let his right hand go.

  15. Postpublished at 23:44 Greenwich Mean Time 8 March

    Zhang v Parker

    Derek Chisora
    Heavyweight on BBC Radio 5 Live

    Zhang looks really tired now but Joseph Parker needs to throw more punches.

  16. Round ninepublished at 23:44 Greenwich Mean Time 8 March

    Zhang v Parker

    Parker doesn't seem to been wearing that knockdown too much as he lands a sharp one-two.

    He keeps ducking down and Zhang is throwing uppercuts to try and catch him on his way back up.

    Deep into this fight and Parker is going to have to find a way to stop Zhang if he wants the win.

    Joseph Parker lands on Zhilei ZhangImage source, Getty Images
  17. Postpublished at 23:40 Greenwich Mean Time 8 March

    Zhang v Parker

    Steve Bunce
    Boxing expert on BBC Radio 5 Live

    That right hook from Zhang clearly hurt Parker because it was his decision to go down.

  18. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 23:40 Greenwich Mean Time 8 March

    #bbcboxing, WhatsApp 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply)

    Is it me or is this the flattest crowd in boxing history?

    David, Cardiff

  19. Round eightpublished at 23:40 Greenwich Mean Time 8 March

    Zhang v Parker

    Similar to round three when Parker was knocked down, he was up pretty quickly after the knockdown.

    It was a straight left followed by a right hook that did the business.

    Joseph Parker on the canvasImage source, Getty Images
  20. Round eight - knockdownpublished at 23:37 Greenwich Mean Time 8 March

    Zhang v Parker

    Parker throws a right over the top and that's clean.

    Zhang eats it and comes back with un uppercut as Parker stoops low.

    Parker is down again!