Hearn hasn't made Parker offer for AJ for Feb18

Joseph Parker, pictured beating Hughie Fury, may get a shot at Anthony Joshua in London in February. Anthony Joshua is lining up Joseph Parker as he seeks to unify the heavyweight titles, but do not expect the fight to happen as early as the Briton suggests. Parker's promoter David Higgins says a February fight against Joshua, which has been touted in the media, will not happen. The Daily Telegraph reported on Wednesday that Joshua, who holds the World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) crowns is looking to add the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) title held by Parker with a February 3 fight mooted for London. Anthony Joshua wants to unify the world boxing heavyweight titles, including a fight with Joseph Parker. Joshua, who fights Carlos Takam in Cardiff on Saturday (Sunday NZ Time), was "likely to target" Parker next, followed by "a blockbuster battle with Deontay Wilder", the World Boxing Council (WBC) champion. Unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua discusses his wishlist for 2018. "I want to unify all the titles and fight all the champions by the end of 2018," Joshua told The Daily Telegraph. However, the proposed February 3 fight was news to Parker's handlers and Higgins said it will not happen. For a fight of that magnitude to take place in February, negotiations would need to have already started. Higgins said they had not received any offer from Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn. Higgins said they would not agree to the 80-20 per cent purse split, in favour of Joshua, which Hearn has suggested in the media. Even at a 20 per cent purse share, a fight against Joshua would be the biggest payday of Parker's career, but it remains short of what Team Parker is after. "Point one: Parker won't be fighting Joshua for 20 per cent. "Point two: Eddie has not communicated any offer with us. "Point three: We have a united view in our camp that Parker beats Joshua. We think Joshua's chin is suspect, and taking the emotion out of it, the facts back that up. "There is a lot of talk around Joshua being laid out in sparring. Parker has never been off his feet as an amateur, in sparring, or as a professional, so we think Parker wins. "Point four: We think it will be a big fight and we will win, but we will do it when the deal is right, 80-20 is not right. "For Eddie to put 80-20 in the media without communicating it with us is an interesting tactic." The total purse for Joshua's April title defense victory over Wladimir Klitschko reached NZ$76 million with the two fighters sharing the spoils. But Hearn told the Daily Mail that Parker could not expect an even share. "He would have to accept getting less money than Wladimir, who deserved a 50-50 purse split. What's Parker worth? I would say 20 per cent is about right." "The plan is for AJ to unify the belts in 2018, and we really would like to create three massive fights next year," Hearn told the Daily Telegraph. "Feb 3 is a potential date, at the O2, against Parker for the WBO belt, or if that doesn't work out, so too is a fight in the Middle East in the first quarter. "Wilder is a target as well, in a summer fight. But we are also offering Wilder that Feb 3 date at the O2 Arena against Dillian Whyte. "Ideally, we want Wilder to fight Whyte on Feb 3, and we have offered him US$3 million (NZ$4.3m) plus US television money, which is worth at least another million," Hearn said. "It would be the perfect lead in to a Joshua fight, if Wilder could come through that." International boxing writers were sceptical about Parker's chances of beating Joshua when the Kiwi won a points decision over England's Hughie Fury in Manchester in September. Leading boxing websites claimed Parker did not "pose a serious threat" to Joshua. "Although Parker improved to 24-0 he did nothing to suggest that he poses a serious threat to the top dog in the division, Anthony Joshua," a report on thesweetscience.com website said. Ring .com said Parker "must refine his game if he is to be given a serious chance of defeating" either Joshua or Wilder in unification bouts. Parker, Joshua and Wilder are all unbeaten in their respective arenas.

Comments (3)

I don't believe that for even a moment. I don't think Eddie even believes it. He's all about projecting the right optics to the fans, as if he's doing what's right for the sport, but his actions are always completely financial. Zero difference between he and Oscar. He will stretch this all out as long as he can. Frustrates man, I just wish they'd give Parker and Whyte the damned Feb date start building a fückin unification, hell I don't even care if its Wilder just get AJ in the damn ring with Parker and Wilder. Kinda expecting it to be Pulev but I really don't care too much for heavy right now so I'm not gonna get to vested in it all.

8y ago

Redd_Foxx

"The plan is for AJ to unify the belts in 2018, and we really would like to create three massive fights next year," Hearn told the Daily Telegraph. I don't believe that for even a moment. I don't think Eddie even believes it. He's all about projecting the right optics to the fans, as if he's doing what's right for the sport, but his actions are always completely financial. Zero difference between he and Oscar. He will stretch this all out as long as he can.

8y ago

Pandur

Higgins is just talking so he can hear is own voice. What else i Parker gonna do? Figthing for peanuts? Last time he fought in New Zealand they had to move his fight in to a smaller arena. If Povetkin fights Hammer in a WBO eliminator, there is no way he goes to Russia. He will most likely do like Charles Martin and "sell" his belt for the right deal with Joshua.

8y ago