Klitschko retirement paves way for unification bout
Sydney likely venue for Pacquiao rematch with Horn
Joseph Parker’s handlers are adamant the surprise retirement of veteran Wladimir Klitschko will fast-track the Kiwi’s chances of a unification bout with Anthony Joshua.
The 41-year-old Klitschko opted out of a lucrative rematch with IBF and WBA champion Joshua and instead decided to call time on his distinguished career.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed he would now look to take up the mandatory IBF defence against Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev.
That fight was always hanging heavy over the Joshua camp and getting it out of the way now means he is a step closer to a potential unification bout with WBO champion Parker.
Parker’s promoter David Higgins welcomed the development and said his fighter wouldn’t duck Joshua as long as Parker stayed on track by retaining his belt in his second defence against Britain’s Hughie Fury in Manchester on September 23.
Higgins paid tribute to Klitschko, but was excited by the Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao is on the verge of confirming a rematch with Jeff Horn in Australia with his promoter, Bob Arum, revealing Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman has urged him to stage the fight in Sydney.
There has been rampant speculation about whether Pacquiao, 38, would fight Horn again or even retire following his controversial unanimous points loss to the Brisbane schoolteacher in their WBO welterweight fight at Suncorp Stadium in early July.
Arum was set to fly to Manila next week to nail down the 11-time world champion on his future but told Fairfax Media from the US on
competitive glamour opening up further.
‘‘I think there is certain dignity in calling it on your terms. Klitschko has had a long and distinguished career, but he finished with two losses in a row and I think it [retiring] was the right
division Thursday a rematch by the end of the year could be confirmed in a matter of days.
‘‘I don’t think I’m going to have to go to Manila because I’ve been talking to Manny and his various representatives and Manny wants the rematch,’’ Arum said. ‘‘What’s holding everything up is that there is martial law in the Philippines. We have to get some firm information as to when the Senate will be in recess.’’
Pacquiao is a federal senator in his home country and his boxing schedule is dictated by those commitments.
The Philippine Congress voted on Saturday to extend martial law in the southern part of the country to crush
thing to do,’’ Higgins, the Duco Events boss, told Stuff.
‘‘It certainly opens up the division further and it means Joshua has got more options.’’
Higgins has a healthy relationship with Hearn and there has long been talk about matching a rebellion by Islamic State-inspired militants.
The likely window for a rematch is November.
‘‘Once we get that information I am optimistic that we can start making all of our plans to hold the fight in Australia,’’ Arum said.
It is a major development in the wake of Pacquiao’s loss to Horn last month – a result that sparked howls of condemnation around the world about a ‘‘home-town’’ decision.
‘‘My friend Nicole Kidman, I was with her a few weeks ago and she said, ‘you gotta do the fight in Sydney’,’’ Arum said. ‘‘She was adamant to do it there. Sydney would be a great place for it.’’
young lions Joshua and Parker.
That has intensified with Parker getting hold of one of the four coveted belts and a determination from the current champions – American Deontay Wilder holds the WBC title – to try to unify the the titles.
Higgins met Hearn on a recent trip to London and confirmed they were plotting a way forward.
‘‘We discussed Tony Bellew, Dillian Whyte, and Anthony Joshua,’’ Higgins said. ’’We agreed that as long as Joseph keeps winning, he and Joshua are on a collision course for a massive unification fight that could easily sell out a stadium as big as Wembley or Cardiff.
‘‘That’s an exciting prospect and with Klitschko’s retirement, it brings that possibility even closer. That’s a fight that could happen, all going to plan, in the first half of next year.’’
The Parker camp have respect but no fear of Joshua.
‘‘We regard Joshua as beatable. People look at Joshua’s frame and muscle but that’s not really what it is all about in heavyweight boxing. Look at Joseph’s hand speed and the fact that he has never once been off his feet in sparring or in professional fighting.
‘‘Joshua is a class act and the man to beat, but we see chinks there and we would take that fight, we will not shy away from it.’’
Parker was also quick to acknowledge Klitschko whom he worked with at one of the Ukrainian’s training camps in Florida in 2015.
Parker said he felt ‘‘privileged to have been in camp’’ with Klitschko.
Parker had earlier impressed Klitschko when he fought on the undercard of his world title defence against Australian Alex Leapai in Germany in 2014.
Parker is currently in Las Vegas training for his fight against Fury where he hopes to finally make an impact on the lucrative British heavyweight scene.