Manchester’s appeal is growing on Team Parker
Joseph Parker’s handlers continue to be tempted by taking his WBO title defence against Hughie Fury to the English fighter’s home city of Manchester.
Duco Events won the purse bid for the fight at just over $3m shared 60-40 in Parker’s favour and now have to work out where and when to stage it.
They listed Auckland on April 1 in their winning bid but have no obligation to stick to that.
They have New Zealand, Samoa, Singapore and Manchester as their options.
Economics and gaining a sensible path forward for Parker are the priorities in their decisionmaking. That’s why they may be willing to give up their home advantage.
Duco boss David Higgins has no fears of Parker defending his title overseas, even in Fury’s backyard where hometown judging could come into play.
‘‘We are going to control the show, but we can hold it anywhere,’’ Higgins told Sky Sports in the UK as interest grows there with Hughie Fury desperate to win back the WBO belt vacated by his troubled cousin Tyson.
Higgins suggested the costs of this defence would be considerably higher than the successful December title fight against Andy Ruiz in Auckland, with the prizemoney alone sky-rocketing.
‘‘This show is going to cost considerably more than the last show put on and our job is to value each location,’’ Higgins said of the risk and reward equation.
Duco see the UK as the hotbed of the heavyweight division at the moment and are eager to cash in on that, especially if they can take a meaningful step towards a unification bout with Anthony Joshua. There are other lucrative British targets like David Haye and Higgins realises they have to increase their fighter’s global profile despite his rapid success over 22 unbeaten fights.
‘‘He [Parker] is already a star in New Zealand. Becoming a star in England is not a bad idea, because it’s such a good market with a big, powerful pay-per-view opportunity,’’ Higgins said.
‘‘How do you become a star in England? You knock out Englishmen and so doing it in New Zealand that would work, but doing it in England could be better to make an impact up there.
‘‘He is mentally tough and has fought before in Germany on a Klitschko undercard, he’s fought in Pennsylvania, and as an amateur all over the world, and understands the pros and cons and the options etc. He would fight anywhere, it’s just what is the best option?’’
Higgins emphasised they wouldn’t be rushed into any decision.
‘‘We are just going to make sure that we leave no stone unturned in terms of assessing what the best options are.’’
Parker is back in Las Vegas working with trainer Kevin Barry to prepare for the fight, having cut short his New Zealand holiday by two weeks to boost his title defence preparations.
Fury’s veteran promoter Frank Warren remains in the dark about the venue but has backed his fighter to win a bout he describes as ‘‘50-50’’.