Whyte ridicules Parker as rivalry heats up
Dillian Whyte has killed off Joseph Parker’s hopes of a rematch and ridiculed the Kiwi heavyweight’s latest win.
Whyte beat Parker last year, dropping the former WBO champion for the first time in his career and then surviving a last round revival in London.
It was a thrilling fight and Parker and his manager David Higgins have called out Whyte ever since, eager to make amends.
With Parker and Whyte now sharing the same promoter after the Kiwi’s three-fight deal with British kingpin Eddie Hearn, there was a line of thought that getting them together again could be attainable.
But it’s not going to happen any time soon for Whyte who made it clear he has no intentions of getting back in the ring with Parker.
‘‘Parker was never in my plans,’’ Whyte told Sky Sports in the UK. ‘‘I beat him already, so why would he be in my plans?
‘‘He wants me to be in his plans, but he’s not in my plans.
‘‘That’s what I don’t get. Him and David Higgins are talking rubbish. Why would I chase someone I’ve already beaten? It makes no sense.’’
Whyte, who had the benefit of a headbutt and rough-house tactics against Parker, fights Oscar Rivas in London on July 20, with the winner set to become mandatory challenger for WBC champion Deontay Wilder.
To his credit, Whyte is arguably more deserving of a title challenge than any of the growing bunch of quality fighters making the heavyweight division increasingly exciting.
But he was far from impressed with Parker’s win over Australian-Samoan Alex Leapai in the United States last weekend.
Parker, in his opening fight under Hearn, scored a 10th round TKO in a lop-sided fight in Providence, Rhode Island.
He totally dominated Leapai who hardly fired a shot but Parker couldn’t deliver a decisive knockout and Whyte cruelly pointed that out.
‘‘It was terrible,’’ Whyte told Sky Sports. ‘‘I don’t understand what was going on and what [trainer] Kevin Barry was telling him.
‘‘Someone like Leapai, you smash their head in. I think a heavy bag is more dangerous than Leapai. A heavy bag will swing back, the heavy bag might hit you a couple of times.’’
Hearn has signalled his intentions to match Parker against Whyte’s big London rival Dereck Chisora.
The fight is set to happen on the undercard of the world title rematch between Andy Ruiz Jr and Anthony Joshua in November or December with Cardiff and New York the options for venues.
Meanwhile, Whyte gave his own version of the top 10 rankings to TalkSPORT, placing himself at No 4 and Parker at No 6.
Whyte’s rankings are headed by Ruiz after his stunning upset of Joshua in New York last month.
‘‘Andy Ruiz is No 1. The reason I say he’s No 1 is he’s beaten Joshua and Joshua had four belts. He didn’t just beat him, he knocked him out so he went from being not even in the rankings to No 1, this is boxing. But saying that, he lost to Joseph Parker and I beat Parker. Strange isn’t it?,’’ Whyte said.