Parker preferred opponent for Bellew

Got a lazy $13,600 for a fight?

British boxing star Tony Bellew has confirmed Joseph Parker remains his preferred option as long as the Kiwi heavyweight can retain his WBO world heavyweight title against Hughie Fury.

Parker defends his title for the second time when he makes his long-awaited UK debut against Fury in Manchester on September 23.

Bellew, a world cruiserweight champion who stunned fellow British heavyweight David Haye last March, is back in training and eyeing his options.

He has ruled out a rematch with Haye. He likes the money involved in a fight with unbeaten world light-heavyweight champion Andre Ward but says Parker’s belt tops his list.

‘‘We’ve sat down with Andre Ward’s team, I’ve personally sat down with Joseph Parker and his team, and I leave Eddie [Hearn, his manager] to deal with the other fella (Haye) from London.

‘‘David is an amazing fighter, athlete and sportsman [but] when it comes to business he’s an absolute moron ... well, it’s not even him, it’s people his side.

‘‘I’m sure they say the business people my side are morons too because we’re all Floyd Mayweather Jr and Conor Mcgregor both like to flaunt their wealth and with ticket prices set for their August 26 fight at one of the highest price points in sports history, both combatants are counting on those attending to do the same.

Ringside seats cost US$10,000 (NZ$13,600) apiece at T-mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the same price for a ticket to Mayweather’s fight against Manny Pacquiao in May 2015.

A mid-level ticket in the 20,000-plusseat arena’s upper bowl will cost US$3500 (NZ$4800), while the cheapest ticket offered was US$500 (NZ$680), with those selling out quickly.

Officials connected to the public sale of

fighting to get that little percentage more.

‘‘I’m further away than ever with the David Haye fight. I’m a lot closer now to the Andre Ward fight than I have been.

‘‘I like the Andre Ward fight. The numbers didn’t match up at first but then Eddie worked out a way where it can tickets said that as of late last week, 3000 seats remain, with brokers and ticketing agents estimating 4000 more are still available to buy on their secondary market. That’s potentially as many as 7000 tickets to go less than three weeks before fight night.

Those involved in the sales aren’t expressing deep concerns.

‘‘It’s getting unjustly beaten up in the press, but I’m seeing people buying tickets every day,’’ said Ken Solky, former president of the National Association of Ticket Brokers who heads a powerful ticket-brokerage agency in Las Vegas.

‘‘Let’s be honest: The place is going to be packed.’’

work favourably for what I want.

‘‘There’s the Joseph Parker fight; the lure of becoming heavyweight champion for me outweighs everything else.

‘‘The money does play a factor but the lure and the dream of becoming heavyweight champion of the world - no money in the world can ever make that up.’’