Unbeaten New Zealander has not yet fought Andy Ruiz Jnr, but the Kiwi’s promoter Dean Lonergan is already looking at what might come after the December 10 bout that will contest the vacant WBO heavyweight title. Speaking with Sky Sports, Lonergan said that while he expects Ruiz Jnr, also undefeated, to give his fighter “a pretty tough fight,” he fully believes Parker will “blast through David Haye in two or three rounds.”
Why is Lonergan thinking and talking about Haye – because the former WBA heavyweight champ is in line to have first crack at the winner of the Parker-Ruiz Jnr fight. Haye recently saw how a WBO ruling called for the Parker-Ruiz winner to make their first defence against him within 120 days of winning the belt. Lonergan says that as far as he is concerned, the Parker-Ruiz winner will fight Haye next.
“We thank the WBO for lining up David Haye,” Lonergan said. “We see that as a much easier fight than Andy Ruiz Junior and once Joseph blasts through Haye, then [Anthony] Joshua will be the next cab off the rank. My understanding is he [Haye] is the mandatory. As far as we’re concerned, the winner of this fight will be fighting David Haye. Ruiz Jnr is a pretty tough fight and if Joseph can get through Ruiz, he will blast Haye in two or three rounds. We would love that fight.”
Lonergan certainly has lofty goals set for his fighter. After – or if – he gets past Ruiz and then Haye, Parker’s big plan, as per his promoter, is to fight IBF champ Joshua next summer in a “monstrous” fight in the UK. It seems everyone wants a piece of Joshua right now, with Wladimir Klitschko set to challenge the Brit next spring (assuming AJ can get past Eric Molina next month).
Haye of course wants to fight Joshua himself, and maybe the former cruiserweight king feels his winning the WBO belt would move him a big step further in his quest. But this is to try and move things too fast. Can Parker beat Ruiz? Can Parker/Ruiz beat Haye? Can Molina upset Joshua?
Once again it’s clear, there is plenty going on in the heavyweight division.
Haye, though, may have another possible route to a belt. As reported earlier, Alexander Ustinov appears to be close to signing to fight either Haye or Manuel Charr for the interim WBA belt, at least this is the word according to Vladimir Hryunov.
Which route might Haye take?
As for Parker though: if he can manage to defeat Ruiz Jnr, then Haye and then Joshua, he will be widely looked at as THE number-one heavyweight on the planet.
