By Duncan Johnstone
The first seeds of what could be a long and lucrative association with Britain have been sewn for New Zealand heavyweight boxer Joseph Parker.
Parker's IBF eliminator with Carlos Takam next Saturday night will be beamed live into the UK via Sky Sports there.
The UK subscriber channel hits 12 million households, providing a massive audience in what has quickly become the heavyweight scene's hotbed after the recent successes of Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, who hold three of the four major belts.
The winner of the Parker v Takam fight earns the mandatory position to challenge Joshua for the IBF crown.
Importantly, Parker's promoters Duco Events managed to set up the British TV deal with the help of Joshua's influential manager Eddie Hearn.
A Parker win over Takam – no sure thing given the French fighter's experience – would immediately have Britain talking about an inevitable match-up with Joshua, right now the hottest property in the game.
The mandatory fight against Joshua is slated for between November 19 and January 19, although Fury's looming rematch with former champ Wladimir Klitschko could certainly rock the schedule in a scene that has been blown wide open. Unification bouts have precedence over mandatories.
Parker's handlers clearly see his future in Britain given the talent there in the form of Joshua, the Fury brothers Tyson and Hughie, David Haye, David Price and Dereck Chisora.
"It makes sense to look at that market right now," Duco boss Dean Lonergan said. "It's the hottest scene in the game ... then move on to the bright lights of Vegas."
Lonergan and Duco partner David Higgins were guests of Hearn when Joshua beat American Charles Martin to win the IBF crown in London in last month.
Promoter Hearn has an exclusive TV deal with Sky Sports through to 2021, providing the network around 20 events a year.
The international audience for Parker's fight against Takam will spread far wider than just the UK. Deals have been confirmed to have the fight go into Australia, France, South Africa and Samoa, and talks are under way for Japan and other Pacific countries.
The United States isn't in the frame because of Takam's low profile there and the crowded international schedule next weekend. That sees US giants HBO and Showtime concentrate on WBC champion Deontay Wilder's defence against Alexander Povetkin in Moscow and the continued comeback of former WBA champion Haye against Mark de Mori. American loose cannon Shannon Briggs fights Alexander Dimitrenko on the Haye card in London.
Parker's veteran trainer Kevin Barry has a good feel for the international standing of Saturday's fight here, and the importance of victory for his unbeaten 24-year-old, who has 16 knockouts in his 18 wins.
"There's a lot of interest. We've had a growing interest with Joseph in the UK in the last 12 months.
"It's very important for us to not only look good, but to look good and win because then we are setting ourselves up for the title fight against Joshua at some stage."
But Barry emphasised the dangers of thinking too far ahead and says the challenge of Takam is enormous.
"Yes, it is a chance for a big statement but I know it is a really tough fight and Joe is really going to have to be at his best in this fight.
"This really is a fight where everything we have worked on for the last three years we have to put together. This is the fight where all the skills that Joe has learned and developed come together in one performance. And he is going to need every single one of this skills if we are to be competitive against a dangerous fighter like Carlos Takam.
"Like us, he has relished this opportunity. He has got himself into really good shape ... I always knew we would get the very best this guy has to offer, and he has a lot.
"So it's not a small step up for Joe, it's a big step up. But we also have a lot of confidence in this young man that he's always been able to step up to the challenge."
