By Edward Chaykovsky
The potential fight between undefeated heavyweights Andy Ruiz and Joseph Parker hangs in the balance this coming week.
According to Parker's promoter, Dean Lonergan of Duco Events, he spoke with Ruiz's promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank - and they both agreed that Parker-Ruiz would not happen without the WBO heavyweight title at stake.
Earlier this week, Tyson Fury vacated the title to concentrate on his failing mental health and personal issues. Parker and Ruiz are the highest ranked contenders and were expecting to fight each other on a December date in New Zealand.
But the WBO recently threw a wrench in those plans, because rather than order Parker-Ruiz for the vacant title - they want to stage a four-man tournament to establish a new champion.
That doesn't work for Parker. Besides being the WBO's top contender, he is also the mandatory challenger to the IBF title, which is held by Anthony Joshua. There is talk that Joshua will face Wladimir Klitschko on December 10. If that fight goes through, Parker would in line for a mandatory fight with the winner. Rather than take part in a tournament, Parker already has a guaranteed shot at the IBF belt. But if he can win the WBO title by the end of the year, it would make a fight against the Joshua-Klitschko winner much bigger for early next year.
WBO vice-president John Duggan appeared on Radio Live and confirmed the sanctioning body is considering the tournament idea.
"We have to listen to all parties in order to get clarity on the best way to approach a resolution of the championship. It's great that Joseph and Andy have agreed to meet. If you ask my opinion, that should be an eliminator before a box-off if both of them are willing to commit to fight the winner of the other end of that. That's an issue which will probably be the most important subject at our convention this year," Duggan said.
The WBO's convention takes place this week in Puerto Rico. Both Duco and Top Rank will be present to press the WBO into sanctioning their fight for the vacant belt.
"You don't go into this business expecting everything to be easy," Lonergan said to the New Zealand Herald. "We've sided with the biggest promoter in the world."
