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Fabio Wardley achieved a massive upset to wreck Joseph Parker's hopes of becoming a two-time world heavyweight champion on Saturday and placed himself in position for a shot at undefeated champion Oleksandr Usyk.

Impressive Comeback Victory

The British fighter is now the primary challenger for the Ukrainian after he secured a remarkable comeback victory by stopping the experienced New Zealander in the 11th round of an entertaining and tough battle at London's O2 Arena.

Wardley, 30, claimed the WBO 'interim' title when he pressured referee Howard Foster to halt the bout as he swarmed previous world champion Parker, who had been hurt badly in the 10th by a straight uppercut.

Emotional Celebration

The Ipswich native raised the crowd to their feet and dropped to the floor in jubilation as his support crew flooded into the ring to celebrate.

They were superb scenes as the previous white-collar boxer extended his outstanding rise in the professional ranks.

Debated Stoppage

There was an argument that the intervention was premature, especially given Parker had commanded for significant portions of the fight and injured Wardley repeatedly with powerful rights.

But the 33-year-old New Zealander gave little argument when Foster stepped forward and his trainer Andy Lee did not appear to protest as his man experienced his fourth career defeat.

Wardley's Victory Comments

"I stated all the way through this lead-up that we picked Joseph Parker because I feel I'm at the top and I demonstrated I'm at the top," said Wardley.

"All credit to Joseph, he can't get enough esteem and he deserves all the admiration from the boxing fraternity. He took a chance when he didn't have to, and we understood he wasn't going anywhere quickly. We had to choose our spots and eventually we got them out of there."

Critical Moment

It was a straight uppercut from Wardley in the 10th round which shifted the bout decisively back in favour of the outsider.

This was Wardley's 20th career win and his most significant. Usyk now potentially awaits early next year.

Parker risked his ranking as the number one contender for Usyk's championship by undertaking this fight, dropping to his fourth pro defeat.

Promoter's Positive Outlook

Wardley's promoter Frank Warren stated to DAZN: "Usyk stated he wants to do it, so that's what it will be. It's a half-hour fight and it only needs one second from him."

Wardley's Extraordinary Journey Advances

It was a elite group of the British heavyweight division in the arena with Tyson Fury, Daniel Dubois, Moses Itauma, Derek Chisora and Dillian Whyte among the observers.

Usyk was not here, but he was the man this bout was all for.

Wardley walked to the ring dressed in Ipswich Town colours with the football club's badge featured on his kit.

Impressive Career Progression

He spoke in the lead-up how it was remarkable that when Parker was securing the WBO heavyweight title in 2016, he was only participating in white-collar boxing.

Yet here he was on the equivalent level as the seasoned Kiwi in a fight to establish the next challenger for Usyk, the best heavyweight of this generation.

Fight Breakdown

With Lee in his corner, Parker was on a winning run coming into this bout of six wins including wins over the likes of Zhilei Zhang, Deontay Wilder and Martin Bakole.

As chants of 'Oh Fabio Wardley' echoed around the arena, Parker gained control with a ramrod of a jab that soon caused blood from the bridge of the Ipswich fighter's nose.

The conclusion to the first three minutes was forceful from the favorite as Parker charged through with a strong of a right hand.

Thrilling Momentum Shift

Parker's control evaporated when a right hand from Wardley rocked him in the second.

It would be a precursor to what would follow later in the fight. It was a beautiful shot and brought those ringside to their feet as the New Zealander looked unstable on his.

The knowledge of Parker, in his fortieth pro fight, looked like it was going to be crucial here. Wardley was always threatening, but Parker was hitting the better shots through the central rounds.

Final Rounds and Victory

The Kiwi's left uppercuts to the body and right hands over the top were a specific strength, but Wardley's own backhand remained a risk.

The fight looked to be fizzling out in the eighth before it erupted back into life and swung firmly back in Wardley's favor in the 10th.

He ensured his amazing story would get another chapter against Usyk when he attacked Parker in the 11th with a barrage of shots which compelled Foster to step in.

It may have been quick but Wardley will argue that Parker was taking substantial punishment.

Usyk Showdown - What Next for Wardley?

Usyk requested a medical exception to defer his required defence of the WBO title because of a back injury, but his consultant Serge Lapin recently affirmed that the perfect champion was ready to face the winner of this bout.

Warren will now look to organize that fight next year for his man.

Quick Ascent to the Top

With just 21 professional fights on the back of without amateur background having come from the white-collar scene, Wardley is still unpolished and his rise to this position has been significantly fast tracked.

But now he is in a position to challenge the top heavyweight of this generation which is a Hollywood-like tale.

Parker's Future Options

Parker will now have to thoughtfully think about his next step, given his age and how long he has been fighting at the highest level.

He undertook a significant chance here and his prospects of reclaiming a piece of the world heavyweight crown have been reduced.