By Mesuli Zifo
IT seemed that New Zealand boxing hero Joseph Parker was destined to challenge Anthony Joshua for his IBF heavyweight title until the Tyson Fury conundrum shook the heavyweight to the core.
With Fury having relinquished his three remaining major WBO, IBO and WBA title belts following his stripping of the IBF which is now in hands of Joshua, a new wave of negotiations started, resulting to new fights being made that were previously not on the agenda before the British abdicated his throne.
One such fight is the clash between Parker and Andy Ruiz with the vacant WBO crown up for grabs.
After an uncertainty over the exact venue, the fight has now been confirmed to be taking place at Vector Arena, in Auckland, New Zealand where it will set a benchmark as the first world heavyweight title clash to be held there.
But before Parker got the opportunity to fight Ruiz he had not only set his sights at Joshua but he had already officially booked his position as a mandatory challenger owing to his victory over Carlos Takam for the title eliminator.
Parker’s promoter Dean Lonergan of Duco Promotions admitted as much when quizzed about the sudden change of route for his charge.
Lonergan is in South Africa to negotiate television deals for the huge fight.
“Yes we had started negotiations with Joshua’s camp for December 10 date when the opportunity to fight for the vacant WBO presented itself,” he said.
By that time Fury was scheduled to rematch with Wladimir Klitschko and Joshua had no dance partner for the December 10.
Suddenly all wheels came off when the rematch was scrapped leading to the scattering of the heavyweight titles which had been unified by Fury.
While some would have thought that a clash with Joshua would have been more lucrative for Parker, Lonergan argues otherwise.
“Contrary to what people may think the Joshua fight would not have paid Parker that much. Remember if the fight had gone to purse bids it would have been split 75-25 to Joshua so the negotiations were centred around that basic point.”
Furthermore Lonergan feels that a Parker win over Ruiz would make the unification clash with Joshua more lucrative.
But he wants to face another Brit before tackling Joshua.
“Yes we are hoping to get David Haye before we go for a unification with Joshua,” he emphasised.
“Haye has an equal big name as is Joshua and I think Parker will smoke him easier than he would do to Joshua.”
But the Duco Promotion boss knows that it will not be plain sailing to get the Hayemaker in the ring especially as the Brit is now operating in his own terms.
“I think Haye is articulately positioning himself for a world title shot without taking a risky fight. He will probably get a soft opponent to push him towards a world title shot but ultimately he will need to fight a live body.”
The 24-year-old Parker will bank on home ground advantage to propel him to victory against Ruiz whose career has been blighted by injuries.
