Parker Eyes Haye Day: No Fight I'd Avoid If It Gets Me To The Top
By Jake Donovan
His rise to prominence was more about potential, but that quickly transitioned to substance following a hard-fought decision win over Top 10 contender Carlos Takam.
With a taste of fighting at the top level, Joseph Parker is now ready for another serving.
The 24-year old from New Zealand is the mandatory challenger in waiting for fellow-unbeaten heavyweight Anthony Joshua, who next defends his title on June 25 versus Dominic Breazeale.
It’s possible that Joshua – the 2008 Olympic Gold medalist from England who won his version of the heavyweight crown this past April – will fight at least two more times by the time he is ordered to face Parker, a title fight that is due to take place by no later than next January.
To his credit, Parker (19-0, 16KOs) doesn’t plan to rest on a guaranteed title crack, or a career-best win over Takam which came this past May at home in Auckland, New Zealand. Next up is a showdown with countryman Solomon Haumono on July 21 in Christchurch, NZ.
Should he win, Parker would like for his next fight to come against England’s David Haye. The former two-division champ scored a win of his own hours after Parker’s victory over Takam, having a much easier go against a far inferior foe in Arnold Gjergjaj. The win was the second in a comeback that has been met with mixed reviews, as is what’s potentially next in queue – a planned money-grab versus deranged former heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs.
Haye has designs of his own on a coveted showdown with countryman Joshua. Such a showdown would have to come after Parker gets his own shot – one he’s further willing to earn by beating the returning Brit in a prelude to such a major event.
“I'm ready and willing to pursue a world title the old-fashioned way, by taking tough and risky fights that are necessary,” Parker insists. “There's no fight I'd avoid if it gets me to the top"
Jake Donovan is the managing editor of BoxingScene.com. Follow his shiny new Twitter account: @JakeNDaBox_v2
Jake Donovan is an award-winning journalist who served as senior writer for BoxingScene from 2007-2024, and news editor for the final nine years of his first tour. He was also the lead writer for The Ring before his decision to return home.
