Pride Park dream is shelved for Parker
ZACH Parker’s hopes of fighting at Derby County’s Pride Park Stadium have been shelved after Demetrius Andrade pulled out of their muchanticipated showdown.
Rams fan Parker, from Swadlincote, had been due to face the American super middleweight for the WBO title on May 21 in a huge stadium fight with 15,000 tickets having already been sold.
A donation of £10 from each ticket sold would have gone to his beloved Rams in their hour of need.
But two-weight champion Andrade has had to withdraw from the fight because of a shoulder injury and a new date has yet to be announced.
And that means Parker’s dream of headlining at Pride Park Stadium has been put on hold because of the football season.
His promoter Frank Warren said: “Once we have the medical we will see where we are.
“The problem is we are not going to get into Derby again because of the football season. For me it was all about going to Pride Park.
“People were asking why we were bidding all that money. It was because I thought that if we got him into Pride Park we could build
something in the Midlands with him.
“He is capable, he is a good fighter. Unfortunately, what has happened has happened. We had done about 15,000 tickets, which at that stage of the game was brilliant for the fella.”
Parker had relished the prospect of fighting at Pride Park when the fight was announced.
“As a fighter you have various hopes when you start out in the sport,” said Parker, who is promoted by Warren’s Queensberry Promotions. “I think every one of us dreams of headlining a show at the football team you support.” ■■FORMER Derby County captain Richard Keogh has had a one-year contract extension activated by Blackpool.
He joined the Seasiders on a one-year deal last summer, following a short-term stint with Huddersfield Town.
The 35-year-old made 31 appearances this season, helping Blackpool to a 16th-placed finish in the Championship.
Blackpool have also activated one-year contract extensions for Keshi Anderson, Ewan Bange, Josh Bowler, Brad Holmes, Stuart Moore and Jordan Thorniley.