Hearn rates Parker as title chance again
Joseph Parker’s promoter Eddie Hearn says the New Zealand heavyweight has the talent to become a world title holder again and hopes to continue representing him after their deal expires.
Parker’s fight against American Shawndell Winters in Frisco, Dallas, tomorrow is the second of three fights under the high-profile Englishman and his Matchroom company and Hearn says he is eager to continue their relationship.
This is only Parker’s second fight in
19 months after a spider bite forced him to pull out of last year’s scheduled bout against Dereck Chisora in London. Parker’s last fight was a victory over Alex Leapai in New York in June.
“We’ll be looking to extend that,” Hearn said of his deal with Parker. “I don’t really tie fighters down for five years or something like that. [Manager] David [Higgins] knows us well enough to know we’re very honest. We always pay on time, we do what we say we’re going to do.
“But if David felt we couldn’t provide the right opportunities, maybe he would bugger off. But I think we have a good relationship and Joseph is important to our plans. He’s capable of being a world champion again. I like him, I like Kevin Barry and I like Dave’s madness.
“They’re enjoyable to work with. We had a great partnership for the Anthony Joshua fight where everybody made a load of money.”
Higgins confirmed he would test the market by talking to several promoters including Frank Warren, who represents new WBC world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, before considering an extension.
Parker’s early years as a professional until his WBO world title victory over Andy Ruiz Jr in Auckland in
2016 were marked by his frequent fights and the 28-year-old has spoken of his frustration at the stalling of his career.
He has watched as men such as Ruiz Jr, Chisora, Dillian Whyte, Alexander
Povetkin and Kubrat Pulev have fought in high-profile bouts while he drifted out of the elite mix after his twin losses to Joshua and Whyte in the United Kingdom in 2018. Title holders Fury and Joshua are clearly out on their own in terms of profile and pulling power.
“It’s been a frustrating period,” Hearn admitted. “That Chisora pullout was a kick in the nuts big time — not just because of what would have been an amazing fight but for Joseph’s career and I felt it would have been the perfect fight for him.
“It was unavoidable. Knowing Joseph, he would have been gutted to do what he had to do.
“These big fighters are like jumbo jets and they’re flying around the world and coming into land and if you miss your landing spot and your time, you have to go around in a circle again.
“This is a good fight for him to come back, a fight against someone who’s going to try — someone who is athletic and can punch a bit as well. And then I think he has to come straight back with a fight in the [northern] summer.”
Hearn, who is also Joshua’s promoter, confirmed there was a possibility that Parker, ranked No 2 by the WBO, could fight Oleksandr Usyk, ranked No 1, should Joshua vacate the title to defend another.
Fights against Chisora and Povetkin and rematches against Whyte and Ruiz Jr were also possibilities. Chisora fights Usyk on May 23.
“He’s in a great position, he just needs the momentum back,” Hearn said.
“It only takes one great performance, one good knockout to say ‘Joseph Parker looked good, he’s a threat to the division’.”
Parker’s fight against Winters on the undercard of the Mikey Garcia v Jessie Vargas welterweight world title bout will be screened live on Sky Arena tomorrow. Parker’s fight is scheduled to start at 2pm NZT.
● Patrick McKendry travelled to Dallas with assistance from Duco Events.