Parker’s world title fight may be in NZ
The wheels are in motion for Joseph Parker to fight for a world heavyweight title in New Zealand this summer.
Auckland’s Eden Park, Wellington’s Westpac Stadium, Christchurch’s AMI Park and Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium have all been mentioned as possibilities, as Parker’s handlers Duco Events look to maximise their fighter’s increasingly potent position in the division’s rapidly changing scene.
The fluid circumstances in the wake of WBA and WBO champion Tyson Fury pulling out of his rematch with Wladimir Klitschko for a second time have allowed the Kiwi’s management to think outside the square.
It means they are investigating a different route to a belt rather than via IBF champion Anthony Joshua where they have mandatory rights. Much will depend on how the two governing bodies react to Fury’s latest delay but there is increased speculation he will be stripped of both belts.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn is keen to cash in and is now talking of matching his fighter against Klitschko rather than Parker in Manchester on November 26 with both the IBF and hopefully the WBA belts up for grabs.
That leaves the WBO belt open and Parker, with his No 1 ranking in that division, is in the box seat.
Parker’s handlers have already started talks with Andy Ruiz, the Mexican-American who is ranked No 3 at the WBO, about pushing for a title fight in New Zealand for what is expected to be the vacant belt some time between December and February.
Dean Lonergan of Duco events said Ruiz and his father ‘‘both expressed interest in the fight’’ when the idea was put to them in Las Vegas yesterday via a highly placed third party.
Negotiations will ramp up with Lonergan saying they ‘‘can’t sit on their hands’’ as opportunities develop.
‘‘If Fury gets stripped we can go either way – the IBF or the WBO where Joe is No 1 with both organisations. Joe is in a real position of strength right now,’’ Lonergan said.
‘‘Either way Joe is going to fight for the title. It’s just a case of which one, against who, when and where.
‘‘We have got to work out what is in the best interest for Joe. There’s no doubt in my mind that the best opportunity for Joe to win a heavyweight title of the world would be right here in New Zealand.
‘‘The current circumstances leaves us to look at doing a deal with Andy Ruiz around the WBO belt. It would be very do-able. We could have a deal done in 2-3 weeks with Ruiz’s camp to have the fight here, so this is not some thing that will take a long time to play out ‘‘
Ruiz’s relatively low profile in the United States would allow Duco to bring the fight to New Zealand whereas a fight against Joshua or Klitschko would mean Parker would have to bow to the bigger offshore markets and fight overseas.
Parker has sparred with Ruiz in Las Vegas. Ruiz, 27, is unbeaten over 29 fights with 19 KOs.
Successful negotiations with Ruiz could even see Parker give up his mandatory right to fight Joshua.
He would then hope that a victory over Ruiz would place him in a position to fight Joshua or Klitschko in a unification bout next year with the IBF, WBA and WBO belts on the line.
All of this talk is subject to Parker getting past Russian Alexander Dimitrenko in Manukau on Saturday night, a fight where he risks his rankings and mandatory position with the IBF as he continues to develop his impressive repertoire.
‘‘We’ve got to keep Joe focussed on that but as a management team we have to keep working on the future and looking at the best possible outcomes,’’ Lonergan said.