Parker’s juicy options
JOSEPH Parker has three top 15 fighters willing to come to New Zealand to take him on.
He also has opportunities in the United Kingdom and the United States as he considers his comeback fight after losing his WBO world heavyweight title to Anthony Joshua in Cardiff on April 1.
Parker’s promoter David Higgins wants to sit down with the 26-year-old and his management within the next week to try to try to square things away as they plan two fights in the back half of the year.
‘‘It could be that we fight in New Zealand first and do an overseas fight later in the year or we do it the other way around,’’ Higgins told Sunday News.
‘‘We have options and it’s a matter of working through them to find the right one. But we are closing in now.
‘‘They include three top 15 fighters who have agreed to come to New Zealand.’’
Higgins confirmed WBA No10 Alexander Ustinov, the big Russian who finished David Tua’s career, was in the mix as revealed by Stuff last week.
He saw the fight as marketable and believed Ustinov could provide Parker with a worthy test.
‘‘He has an awkward style, he keeps people at a distance, you have to take it to him,’’ Higgins said.
Higgins confirmed he had been in talks with council representatives from Hamilton, Christchurch and Wellington about staging a fight he was certain was viable.
Interestingly Parker has never fought in Wellington during a 25-fight professional career that has featured 19 bouts in New Zealand.
In terms of overseas options, Higgins said a rematch with Hughie Fury had been suggested now that he had won the British title in his first fight back since losing to Parker in Manchester last September.
But right now Britain mightn’t be the land of opportunity it once was for Parker.
It’s unlikely Tony Bellew has any interest in Parker now there is no belt on offer and his vanquished opponent David Haye is likely to retire. Similarly Dillian Whyte, so often calling out Parker, is unlikely to want to risk his hard-earned rankings against Parker now that he is a step away from a title shot of his own.
Higgins felt a fight in the US would be achievable given their ongoing promotional relation- ship with Bob Arum.
Parker has remained in New Zealand since returning from Britain. He is awaiting the birth of his second child and has been busy furnishing his new south Auckland house.
‘‘The important thing is he is keeping fit, training almost every day. He is looking sharp GETTY IMAGES and is keen to fight,’’ Higgins said.
Parker wants ranked fighters to help his quest to get back to a mandatory position to challenge for another world title after holding the WBO belt for 16 months.
Parker is placed at No5 by both the WBO and WBC and is at No7 with the IBF.