By Edward Chaykovsky
According to Dean Lonergan, promoter for IBF mandatory challenger Joseph Parker (19-0, 16KOs), his fighter is ready to accept a November date with IBF heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua (17-0, 17KOs).
This past Saturday night at the O2 Arena in London, Joshua successfully defended his title for the first time with a seventh-round knockout of previously undefeated Dominic Breazeale.
Next month Parker will stay busy in a fight with dangerous puncher Solomon Haumono. Should he come away with the win, and without injury, the fight with Joshua will be in line.
Lonergan says the negotiations for a fight with Parker are ordered by the IBF to begin in November and the fight is due to take place on or before January 9th of next year.
Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sport, wants Joshua to return on a date in November and he likes the idea of facing Parker next.
Depending on how the fight in July plays out, Parker may take another fight to stay sharp on a date in September or early October.
Lonergan told Sky Sports: "We're ready now. If Eddie Hearn rang me up tomorrow and says we want to fight in the mandatory period, we want to fight November or December - that would be fantastic.
"They are going to take a long break, which I think Anthony Joshua deserves, and they will make their decisions. It doesn't worry us either way. We've got our shot guaranteed and it's going to happen. Eddie himself was saying it's either November, December for Joseph or March, April. Either one doesn't worry us.
"Joseph fights on July 21. We'll probably fight another time after that in late September, early October, and then the mandatory period comes up November 19. Any day after that, Joseph would be ready."
