If ever a fighter deserved a world title fight opportunity, it’s heavyweight contender Joseph Parker. Wins over Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang, and, at the weekend, in what was a short-notice fight, Martin Bakole, have seen Parker earn his shot. But, as he said when speaking with The Herald in New Zealand, Parker, feeling frustrated and more than a little angry, says he thinks he will have to box one more fight before getting what he wants and feels strongly he has earned.
Parker, 36-3(24) wants a shot at Oleksandr Usyk but he says he believes Usyk will instead fight Daniel Dubois next, this in a rematch.
“I think there’s going to be a fight with Usyk and Dubois lined up because everyone is talking about it now,” Parker said. “Possibly I’ll have one more fight before fighting for the championship of the world. It sucks not fighting for the world championship. Since I lost it (the WBO title) in 2018, I’ve been working so hard to get back to fighting for the title. To get a chance to fight for it (the IBF belt, this against Dubois before Dubois fell ill), and then it vanishes in front of you two days before the fight…..At that time, I didn’t care because I was focused on the fight date and staying switched on for whoever was going to be in front of me, but now the [Bakole] fight is done, it doesn’t feel right.”
Parker, who says he feels “a bit angry” at not getting a shot at Usyk next, is so easily a guy we fans can sympathise with. It seems, though, that the 33 WILL get his shot in time. It is only right. We may never know now who wins a fight between Parker and Dubois, as it seems it will indeed be Dubois who fights Usyk next. And in the opinion of most, Usyk beats Dubois again; although Dubois does have his supporters and believers, of course.
If Parker does have to fight one more fight before he gets his shot, it will be interesting to see who it is he gets in the ring with. Parker as we know will fight anyone. According to The Herald article, Parker could possibly fight Agit Kabayel next – the unbeaten German coming off that very impressive KO win over Zhilei Zhang – or maybe Joe Joyce in a rematch.
Parker, though, feels he can be “one of the best fighters in the world,” if he only gets the opportunity.
