WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker is ready and willing to face IBO, IBF, WBA heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua as soon as possible.

Joshua returned to the ring this past Saturday night, and stopped Carlos Takam in ten rounds before a crowd of 78,000 in Cardiff, Wales.

Parker retained his WBO title a few months ago in Manchester, when he traveled over to win a twelve round decision over previously undefeated mandatory challenger Hughie Fury.

It's not secret that Parker's promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sport, wants his boxer to face Parker in the first quarter of 2018. They appear to be more geared to facing Parker first and then going in the direction of WBC champion Deontay Wilder.

According to Parker's promoter, the unification will not happen unless his fighter is offered more money.

He believes that his boxer is being low-balled by Hearn.

Higgins is not very happy Hearn's purse split offer of 80-20 in Joshua's favor. He feels the offers are being kept low in order to prevent a deal from being reached with Joshua.

After watching Joshua perform last Saturday night, Higgins feels very confident his boxer can upset the odds.

"We've got various options and we are really close to one in particular, rather than Joshua," Higgins told Fairfax Media.

"But we would fight Joshua next if the money is right. We're not at all worried about Joshua as a competitive threat. It would be a close fight but we won't shy away from it. It's a fight that Joseph would take and I'm sure his trainer (Kevin Barry) isn't worried about. But the money has to be right."

"It's disrespectful for the fact that Joseph has earned one of the credible heavyweight belts. So has Joshua, so it should be much closer to 50-50 than what was put on the table. No one in our camp was shaking in their boots."