Unbeaten Joseph Parker, who captured the vacant WBO heavyweight title at the weekend with a close decision win over Andy Ruiz Jnr, is already looking at his first title defence. Parker and his team want a break first (the 24 year old has had an amazing 15 fights in just three years) but the first defence is being looked at for March or April of next year.
Parker, 22-0(18) was a very interested onlooker as IBF champ Anthony Joshua did the business against challenger Eric Molina and the New Zealander says he will fight AJ “any time he wants or [whenever] I want.” However, it is more likely Parker will defend against Hughie Fury next spring. Parker is confident he can beat either Brit, but the Joshua fight is the big one.
“He’s cool and calm, a respected guy,” Parker said of Joshua when speaking with The New Zealand Herald. “But also he’s got a lot of power. I liked what I saw. I respect him as a fighter – he was very good. [But] no fear, you bring me into a ring with Joshua, I’ll back myself any day. I’ll fight him any time he wants or I want.”
Next up for Joshua is the confirmed clash with Wladimir Klitschko, while it could well be Hughie Fury next for Parker – “he’s definitely one of the options,” said Kevin Barry, Parker’s trainer. Fury recently Tweeted how he aims to take either the Parker-Ruiz winner or an offered shot at WBC champ Deontay Wilder. It will be interesting to see which route Fury goes down.
The good thing is, today’s heavyweight champs are all young and unbeaten. We have Wilder, Parker and Joshua all battling for supremacy. If these young and individually talented heavyweights face one another in the coming months, in whatever order, fans of the division will be more than happy.
Who wins out of Joshua and Parker? Wilder and Joshua? Parker and Fury? Hopefully we will find out soon enough. Or will former champions Klitschko and Tyson Fury regain past glories in 2017? Either way, the heavyweight division has plenty of intrigue right now.
