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Joseph Parker wants a quality opponent for next fight
date October 23rd, 2017 - 14 Comments

By Jim Dower: Joseph Parker (24-0, 18 KOs) doesn’t want his next opponent to be a low level fighter for his next defense of his WBO heavyweight title in New Zealand. With a big money unification fight against IBF/WBA heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua on the horizon for next year, it’s not likely that Parker’s promoter is going to match him against someone that is a real threat to beating him from the WBO’s top 15.

The 25-year-old Parker has already defended his World Boxing Organization title twice against arguably poor opponents in Hughie Fury and Razvan Cojanu. Parker’s fight against Hughie last month on September 23 was an all-time low, as Hughie spent the entire fight trying to elude Parker by running around the ring, and tying him up each time he would cut off the ring to initiate action. Hughie clearly didn’t belong inside the ring with Parker. Hughie looked a young kid with no boxing ability inside the ring with a professional fighter. After that experience, you can understand fully why Parker wants his promoter David Higgins to pick someone good for him to fight.

Parker will end up fighting one of the top 15 contenders in the WBO’s ranking. These are several of the opponents that would be ideal for Parker: Kyotaro Fujimoto, Alexander Povetkin and former WBA heavyweight champion Lucas Browne. However, Povetkin is expected to be fighting in a WBO title eliminator soon against Christian Hammer. Browne is being talked about fighting in late November, so he’s not an option.

“There is a big possibility that it could be in New Zealand but there is also a big possibility that we could be fighting in the UK,” said Parker to the nzherald.co.nz. “We’re still negotiation with Eddie Hearn’s team [the promoter of Anthony Joshua, Dillian Whyte and Tony Bellew] and with other fighters. I just want to fight big fights – fights that people want to watch.”

Eddie Hearn would love to match one of his Matchroom Sport fighters Dillian Whyte or Tony Bellew against Joseph Parker. That would be a fight that gives those two fighters a chance to take Parker’s WBO title.

Even if Parker beats them, it would make the Joshua-Parker fight a bigger affair than it would be if Parker faces another poor opponent in the same class as his two previous title defenses.

Parker says it’s going to be a top 15 guy. These are the current top 15 fighters:

Joseph Parker cancels plans to fight in December

New Zealand heavyweight boxer and WBO world champion Joseph Parker will focus on training for the rest of 2017.

WBO world heavyweight champion Joseph Parker has opted against fighting again this year.

There had been hopes of New Zealand's boxing star squeezing in another title bout in December following his mandatory defence win in Manchester against Hughie Fury in September.

His promoters at Duco Events had advanced negotiations with Japan's WBO No 9 Kyotaro Fujimoto.

But struggles to get a satisfactory TV deal in place on such a short time frame have made that too difficult.

They considered other options, including fighting in New Zealand or Russia, but have decided to instead allow Parker a longer break, though he will continue training with an eye to resuming his fight schedule early next year.

Joseph Parker's promoter David Higgins says the WBO heavyweight champion's next fight will be done on their terms, rather than rushed at short notice.

"The Japanese were very good and solid. They were very respectful and real in their wish to stage a fight there," Duco Events boss David Higgins told Stuff.

"But their feedback in sounding out their broadcasters and sponsors, was that because Fujimoto's profile is still building there and boxing hasn't really been big since Buster Douglas beat Mike Tyson there, they couldn't quite put enough money on the table."

Higgins said alternatives, like heading to Russia to take on Alexander Povetkin, also had obstacles.

"So for us, it was do we rush something at short money and risk that world title or do we take our time and mount a something on our terms? Everyone in the team is quite comfortable with this decision.

"Look, if we got an offer we couldn't refuse tomorrow we might be back on for December. But at this stage, realistically, we are looking at doing something on our terms in February or March.

"It certainly won't be Anthony Joshua though. Eddie Hearn is dreaming with what he put out in the media."

Hearn, Joshua's promoter, had talked of the possibility of a unification fight with Parker in Britain in February with the Kiwi camp only getting 20 per cent of the deal, something Higgins scoffed at.

In a break from tradition, and to allow Parker to spend more time at home, the next training block will be done in Auckland with trainer Kevin Barry flying in from Las Vegas to oversee that.

"One thing we have agreed on is that we want Joe to stay fit between camps, not just during camps," Higgins said.

With Parker's baby daughter Elizabeth approaching her first birthday, Higgins felt it better to allow his boxer to mix family time with training in the leadup to Christmas.

Barry said the latest developments had been "a team decision" and one they felt was best after what he described as "a messy year".

The long and disrupted business of getting Fury into the ring had taken up most of 2017 with Parker's only other bout being a home victory over Razvan Cojanu back in May.

Barry felt it was better to regroup and plan for an important 2018 where there is a desire to get into unification bouts with champions Joshua (WBA and IBF belt holder) and Deontay Wilder (WBC holder).

"We have decided we have run out of time this year. It's important that we have Joe ready for a big year next year. There's a lot at stake next year, we have to make big decisions, we need good performances, so as a team we are getting together and putting a plan in place that will give us a chance of getting amongst these big fights in 2018," Barry told FightNews.

Barry is hopeful of an opponent for early next year being revealed soon.

"We are in discussions with a potential opponent and his team, a fight that I believe will be an exciting fight, a fight that people will want to see. We are working towards that," Barry said, believing they were now in a position of strength to dictate their own terms.

"Getting the mandatory (against Fury) out of the way was very important. Let's put a couple of fights in that we choose and see where that takes us. We are in a very exciting position at the moment."

While talk continues to ramp up of a fight with Joshua, Barry said a clash with Wilder shouldn't be discounted.

"We have options and that (Wilder) is definitely one of our options," Barry said.

"I could make the Deontay Wilder fight tomorrow if I wanted to. We have an excellent relationship with their team. Jay Deas (Wilder's coach) is a classy guy, a guy I have a lot of respect for as a manager/trainer. Al Haymon, I've had several conversations with over the last twelve months also."

- Stuff

Funny that they keep mentioning Russia as an option, not in a million years were they going to take Joe to fight a voluntary against Povetkin in Russia.

No way he was ever going to Russia. Craziness. I agree tm7

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/98284236/david-higgins-joseph-parker-will-fight-anthony-joshua-when-the-money-is-fair

Fight a very good PED enhanced Russian in Russia .......would have to be show stopping $$$$ to make that even worth considering.
I doubt Povetkin will fight anymore meaning fights and especially none outside of Russia

If Povetkin can get himself into a mandatory position I bet he will enforce the JP fight, in Russia of course.
Very tough fight for JP, could he knock out Povetkin? Maybe, but he'd have to go to war with him I think. I can't see JP winning on the cards in Russia.

I can't see JO beating POV

Is POV Povetkin?  If so, that would be true in the past, but I'm not sure how much Povetkin has left.  He's only fought twice in two years, but he does have a fight coming up in December against TBA.

Rumour is Parker vs Browne is lined up for Jan