Parker targets Joshua after quelling Fury
JOSEPH PARKER is eyeing a summer showdown with Anthony Joshua at Wembley.
The WBO heavyweight champion defended his title with a majority decision win over Hughie Fury at Manchester Arena on Saturday night.
Fury and his team claimed it was the wrong decision but Parker was the worthy winner and now wants a money-spinning clash with Joshua – who will defend his titles against Kubrat Pulev in Cardiff on October 28.
The Kiwi could fight before the end of the year and is also keen on a clash with the winner of Tony Bellew and David Haye, who go again in December, before taking on WBA and IBF holder Joshua.
He said: “I’m ready for anyone and everyone, whoever is keen to fight.
“But I am going to take some time off to relax and chill with the family, I’m going to have a pizza and a burger – I deserve it.
“Getting a victory is a good way to establish ourselves here in the UK. I’m now looking forward to having those big fights – Joshua, Bellew, David Haye, there is Dillian Whyte calling me out.
“I feel every champion has their weaknesses and I feel I am the best. There’s only one way to find out who is the best and that is to get together. I will show you Joshua’s weaknesses when I fight him.”
Fury’s promoter Mick Hennessy claimed he will take legal action as he prepares to lobby the WBO to overturn the result. But any complaint is unlikely to be heard as most neutral observers had it as a close fight with defending champion Parker edging it.
The two 118-110 cards were too wide with one judge having it a draw at 114-114 but this was no robbery as Fury failed to emulate cousin Tyson by becoming the family’s second world heavyweight champion.
Hennessy said: “We are going to put in an appeal straight away, we will protest this. We are going to get our lawyers behind it.”
Hennessy, but without proof, said: “To me that is corruption at the highest level in boxing. I know that is a strong word but I’m telling you now there are forces at work around this game.”
Fury said: “I was disgusted, to be honest. They’ve ruined people’s lives. I don’t think the scoring was right at all.
“They are ruining people’s dreams.”