Deontay Wilder vs. Joseph Parker: Live round-by-round updates

MMA Fighting has Deontay Wilder vs. Joseph Parker live round-by-round updates for the anticipated showdown at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudia Arabia, on Saturday night.

The Wilder vs. Parker co-main event is expected to begin around 4:30 p.m. ET on DAZN and PPV.com. Check out our Day of Reckoning results page to find out what happened on the undercard.

Deontay Wilder (43-2-1) hasn’t fought in more than a year. In his most recent outing, he defeated Robert Helenius via first-round KO on Oct. 15, 2022.

Joseph Parker (33-3) competes in his fourth fight of the year Saturday night. He has won his past two fights by knockout.

If Wilder wins, he will square off against Anthony Joshua on March 9 in a two-fight deal.

Wilder vs. Parker up next.

The fighters make their entrances. Wilder out in an impressive robe and crown combo.

Get the Wilder vs. Parker round-by-round live blog below:

Round 1: Wilder circling on the outside as both fighters take their time before engaging. Taking plenty of time as we’re two minutes in with little action of note. Parker steps in with a right hand, which wakes the crowd up. Looks like that will be our only significant strike of the round. So...

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Parker.

Round 2: Parker jabs the body. Big punch from Parker catches air as Wilder continues to circle. Parker with another right just past Wilder’s glove. Jab from Wilder. Parker ventures in with a right hand leading to a tie-up. Wilder lands a left as he’s backing up. Parker goes to the body with a few punches.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Parker. Overall, 20-18 Parker.

Round 3: Wilder flicking out his jab just to find the range. Parker lunges in and almost catches a Wilder right, but the exchange is mostly harmless. There’s a jab from Wilder. Quick hit to the body by Parker. Parker strikes the body again. Parker with a right hand, but he nearly gets hit by a Wilder counter. A Parker jab backs Wilder to the ropes. Parker scores with another right hand.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Parker. Overall, 30-27 Parker.

Round 4: There’s a big swing from Wilder and Parker manages to duck it. Right hand from Parker lands clean, Wilder responds with his own as Parker rushes in. Parker scores with another power punch. Intensity levels rising. Wilder scores with his jab. More jabs from Wilder, he’s adjusted his strategy. Parker sticks his jab in Wilder’s face. Good left hook by Parker who has been aggressive in this round.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Parker. Overall, 40-36 Parker.

Round 5: Parker advances with punches, forcing Wilder to lean back in retreat. Parker jabs the body. Wilder is stuck on the outside. Parker scores with a right. There’s a left from Parker and he keeps ducking into Wilder before Wilder can throw back. Jab to the body by Parker. He’s leaning on Wilder in the corner.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Parker. Overall, 50-45 Parker.

Round 6: Parker opens with a jab to the body. Wilder flicks out a left hook as he circles away. They trade uppercuts to the body in the clinch. Wilder back to circling on the outside and looking for that one-shot opening. Parker pokes him with a right hand from long range. Jab by Parker, then another to the body. Parker pressures with a left, Wilder just pushes him away. A couple of Wilder right hands test Parker’s defenses. Wilder makes Parker miss on a lunge. Parker attacks the body.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Parker. Overall, 60-54 Parker.

Round 7: Half a fight left for Wilder to land a KO shot. Great jab from Parker to stifle Wilder. Left hands by Parker, he’s throwing them from an angle that makes it difficult for Wilder to get a clean look at a counter right. There’s not a lot of juice on them, but Parker isn’t getting hit and that’s what matters. Parker jabs the body. Wilder still not able to get much going. A Wilder right is a tad too high. It’s Parker that lands an overhand right. There’s a right from Parker to close the round.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Parker. Overall, 70-63 Parker.

Round 8: Parker jabs high to set up a body jab. Another Parker body shot scores. That Wilder right starts making contact and you can see Parker slow his roll. One good Wilder shot is all it takes to end this. Wilder circles away from a Parker right. Beautiful triple jab from Parker. Two big right hands land Parker and he flurries with Wilder in the corner. heavy leather being thrown, Wilder just hanging back in the corner and throwing his head back to avoid some wild punches. Big round for Parker, who is in total control.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Parker. Overall, 80-72 Parker.

Round 9: Parker steps in for a right hand that scores. Wilder can’t find a home for that right as Parker keeps ducking into him. Smacking left by Parker with Wilder on the ropes. Wilder has thrown almost nothing in this round. He fires a right in that Parker blocks and it’s Parker who connects as they separate.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Parker. Overall, 90-81 Parker.

Round 10: Jab by Parker keeps Wilder on the outside. He blocks a powerful Wilder hook. Parker pushes Wilder to the ropes. Finally, a jab from Wilder scores. Parker undeterred, sticking with his strategy, keeping Wilder at the perfect distance. Wilder steps in and gets clipped by a Parker right hand. The clock is ticking...

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Parker. Overall, 100-90 Parker.

Round 11: Parker starts the 11th with a jab. Wilder still trying to get his jab going, with little success. Parker ducks another Wilder right. Wilder has to be frustrated. Parker maneuvers Wilder into the corner and lands a hard right. Parker and Wilder tie up, referee asks them to work their way out of it but he eventually has to separate them. Another clinch and Parker manages to land some punches in it. Parker hits an overhand right. He’s one round away from a clear win.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Parker. Overall, 110-99 Parker.

Round 12: Parker still pressing forward, he’s not just parking the bus in the final round. Wilder letting his hands go now, is it too little too late? Parker happy to tie up with Wilder and let the seconds tick away. Big punches from Wilder as Parker keeps that defense high and tight. Ninety seconds to go and Wilder’s big moment is yet to come. Parker just ducking in and pushing against Wilder. It’s not pretty, but he’s earned the advantage. Just over 30 seconds left, Parker scores with a punch and ties up again. Wilder just can’t stop Parker from muscling his way in. Parker clinching his way to the win here. And that’s that.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Parker. Overall, 120-108 Parker.

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