‘Plenty of options’ for Parker
Joseph Parker’s promoter is confident there are ‘‘solid options’’ for the Kiwi heavyweight boxer’s comeback.
Parker dropped his professional record to 24-2, suffering a second consecutive loss in Britain when Dillian Whyte won their rugged London bout by a unanimous points decision last weekend.
It’s a major dent in Parker’s dream of winning another world title but his boss David Higgins is confident a quick repair job can be carried out. ‘‘Finding the right comeback opportunity won’t be hard,’’ Higgins told media in Britain.
"I’ve soaked up the response from the public and I’m very confident that there will be a range of great comeback options – if he wants to come back. I’ve heard nothing to suggest he doesn’t.
‘‘He can go home, relax, rest and take stock. The good news, though, is I can guarantee there are a range of solid comeback options on the table.’’
The 26-year-old Parker, who has returned life-changing paydays for his last two fights against Anthony Joshua and Whyte, is adamant he wants to fight on. He said he wouldn’t shy away from a rematch with Whyte.
It would certainly be a marketable fight given that Whyte knocked down Parker for the first time in the Kiwi’s long career and Parker returned the favour in the 12th and final round though couldn’t quite deliver the knockout he needed.
Whyte hung on to see out the final few seconds but the result wasn’t without controversy with unanimous agreement post-fight that Parker was hard-done in the second round when he was floored by a headbutt from Whyte that counted as a knockdown and resulted in a disastrous threepoint swing on the judges’ cards.
Team Parker also felt Whyte should have had points deducted for his persistent rough-house tactics.
Whyte is looking to move on to bigger things with world title chances against Anthony Joshua or Deontay Wilder. Joshua won’t be available until next April as he defends his WBA, WBO and IBF titles against Russian Anthony Povetkin in September.
Whyte’s boss Eddie Hearn has April 13 penciled in for a Wembley unification clash with Deontay Wilder – if that can be arranged. He is trying to lure Wilder into an earlier fight with either Whyte or his other hot heavyweight Dereck Chisora. There is also talk of former world champion Tyson Fury trying to get to Wilder before Joshua.