Joseph Parker could pursue a rematch with Anthony Joshua or a fight with unified world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk after the New Zealander scored a commanding points win over Deontay Wilder in Saudi Arabia be.
7:57, UK, Sunday 31 December 2023
Joseph Parker has “earned” a rematch with Anthony Joshua, but the British star may avoid the “high-risk” fight, says New Zealand promoter David Higgins.
Parker scored a unanimous decision victory over Joshua and Deontay Wilder in Saudi Arabia last weekend, spoiling plans for the long-awaited showdown between Joshua and Deontay Wilder in 2024.
Joshua defeated Parker on points in Cardiff in 2018 to unify the WBO, WBA and IBF belts, but Higgins hopes to see a second fight in the near future.
“In my opinion, Joseph wins that fight and the Saudis would see merit in a matchup between Parker and Anthony Joshua,” Parker’s promoter David Higgins said. sky sports.
“There may not be a next time, and there may be a little more work to be done, but I think that’s the fight the fans want to see. It’s a skill-based fight.”
“In terms of opponents, Joseph would fight anyone and if you look twice at the names on Derek Chisora’s CV, Joe Joyce, Joshua, Wilder, Dillian Whyte, the list goes on. However, he is only 31 years old.
“We’re going to fight Anthony Joshua right away. We all know Joseph will fight him next, but we don’t know if that’s an option. We’re obviously looking at all options. , we’ll see what happens.”
“I can’t speak for them.” [Anthony Joshua] But they’re probably looking to rebuild to some degree and get a big fight against someone like Tyson Fury or Oleksandr Usyk. ”
Higgins added: “Joseph would probably be considered a high risk, especially given the way he was working with Wilder.”
After his win, Parker shared the ring with Wilder three times and thanked Fury for helping him prepare.
“I think Tyson was very influential in creating opportunities and helping Joseph by letting him use the gym. I know they sparred together as well,” Higgins said.
“There’s no better sparring than Fury, the lineal heavyweight champion. It was very helpful.”
Higgins believed Parker delivered the best win of his career over Wilder and praised trainer Andy Lee for devising the winning game plan.
“To me, that was the best performance of Joseph’s career,” Higgins said.
“The reason I say that is because there is extra pressure on these big, global pay-per-view fights, and the eyes of the world are on you and your opponent more than any other time in history. You can’t really explain what that pressure is like until you’re in that situation.
“Several times he wasn’t even close. [in his career], but this time he kept his cool, was patient, showed intent, stuck to his battle plan, and withstood the pressure. He didn’t just win, he dominated Wilder. ”
Parker has fought four times this calendar year, gaining momentum due to his consistency, and Higgins hopes to fight again in March.
“I think we’ll look at all options, but Joseph wants to keep busy and is regularly looking at the best fights,” Higgins said.
“He’s got momentum so he’s going to continue. We don’t want to fall back to weaker opponents. We want to raise the level and keep busy.”
“If we can play again in March, we will be grateful to everyone who facilitated it.”
Parker will also welcome the upcoming fight between WBC champion Fury and unified champion Oleksandr Usyk, who will defend his WBO, IBF and WBA belts in an undisputed title fight on February 17 in Saudi Arabia. .
“If the fight comes up, I’m sure Joseph will jump at the opportunity. It’s going to be a great fight and yeah, I think he can win the fight,” Higgins said.
“he [Parker] A perfect performance under maximum pressure, happy with how everything came together and he deserves to be proud.
“His doubters, his detractors, he definitely silenced that crowd. New Zealand’s major newspapers reported his return and another shot at the world title.”