Parker's Promoter To Contact Haymon For Wilder Unification
By Edward Chaykovsky
The promoter for WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker (22-0, 18KO) is planning to pursue a unification with WBC king Deontay Wilder (37-0, 36KOs) in the immediate future.
Parker captured his title this past Saturday night in New Zealand, with a twelve round majority decision over previously undefeated Andy Ruiz. Wilder became champion in January 2015 with a domination of Bermane Stiverne. Since then he's retained the belt four times.
Wilder suffered several injuries in his July knockout of Chris Arreola and required multiple surgeries in the aftermath. He plans to fight again in the first quarter of 2017 and wants a big fight to return in style.
Parker was required to make a mandatory defense against David Haye within 120 days, but the Hayemaker has already signed on to face WBC cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew on March 4th.
With Haye already committed to another fight, Parker could be ordered to fight Hughie Fury - but his promoter prefers the unification with Wilder, and a unification would trump a mandatory defense.
"If we are required to fight Hughie Fury, then that simplifies things a bit," Duco Events' director David Higgins told Sky Sports. "We are clarifying that at the moment. If the opponent is required to be Hughie Fury then we'll assess the pros and cons of holding it in England versus holding it in New Zealand, and we wouldn't rule out either.
"We would consider all options. The other thing is to reach out to Al Haymon's people about Deontay Wilder, potentially seeking to unify all of the belts. My understanding is that if we go to unify, it potentially overrides the mandatory, so that means we have options. We are not scared of anyone, we're not going to look to pad or dodge - we want to unify."
Higgins would love to have a doubleheader, where Parker faces Wilder as the co-feature attraction to next year's blockbuster between IBF champion Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko - set for April 29th in Wembley.
"Whether Eddie Hearn is willing to have two heavyweight title fights on the one card, we don't know," said Higgins. "We could have Wilder-Parker and Joshua-Klitschko on the same card and then the winner of each fight could fight off against each other."
