Bob Jones: Parker not ready

Bob Jones says the hype over Joseph Parker is ‘‘sickening’’ and his former charge is nowhere near ready for the top echelon of boxing.

Parker beat Carlos Takam in the IBF eliminator on Saturday night, earning the right to challenge Britain’s Anthony Joshua for the belt.

While big money and a world title shot beckon for Parker, Jones says only a real champion can command millions per bout.

Promoters Duco claimed to have put up a $1million purse for the soldout fight in south Auckland, the highest in New Zealand history.

Duco co-owner Dean Lonergan said Parker’s title shot in London would undoubtedly be his highest payday yet. However, Jones said challengers could not expect a fortune, and Parker would get a fraction of the overall purse.

‘‘Boxers are extraordinarily highly paid if they’ve got public appeal, and they’re the champion – the real champion.’’

Jones said the heavyweight champion of the world was not Joshua but Tyson Fury, who defeated the long-reigning Wladimir Klitschko last year.

Fury was stripped of his IBF title after choosing to fight Klitschko again instead of defending the belt.

Jones said Parker would earn more money in New Zealand than he would anywhere else.

The Samoan-Kiwi would not have much pulling power in Britain, with Saturday night’s 12-round battle not doing him any favours with local commentators.

‘‘They were expecting a lot from Parker and they were plainly disappointed. They were very critical of his defence, his fitness was obviously not there.’’

Jones, a Wellington-based property tycoon, quit as Parker’s manager in 2013 after clashing with Duco over the suitability of his opponents.

The hype that Duco and the media had created around Parker was ‘‘sickening’’, he said.

‘‘There are about bloody 15 Josephs in the world at the moment, blokes who’ve had a similar number of fights, and they’re all unbeaten, and they’ve all been fighting mugs.’’

While Takam was a step up, Jones said Parker needed to take it slowly as he was ‘‘nowhere near ready for the top echelon’’.

He said heavyweight boxers peaked in their mid 30s these days, meaning the 24-year-old still had plenty of time to develop.

‘‘He’s got so many technical faults, and he needs to be very good because he’s not a big puncher,’’ Jones said. ‘‘He’s got to be groomed. Any of these top heavyweights will knock him about.’’