PARKER’S RIGHT ON THE MONEY
Zach wanted to be a boxer after seeing Mayweather on TV as a young kid
ZACH PARKER has revealed that watching Floyd Mayweather Jr as a kid planted the seed for his world title dream.
Parker faces John Ryder on Saturday at London’s O2 in an all-English clash for the WBO interim supermiddleweight title and his goal is to become the world champion.
The unbeaten Derby fighter was inspired by Mayweather, famously nicknamed ‘Money’, and recalled the huge impression the legendary American made on him when he beat his hero Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas in 2007.
Parker, 28, said: “I remember watching it live with all my family in the middle of the night. We all used to stay up together and get excited about it. We all loved Ricky Hatton and we saw all the fans he took over to Vegas, it gives you goosebumps just thinking about it.
“I didn’t know who Floyd Mayweather was until he fought Ricky Hatton. After he won, I said to myself: ‘I need to watch this Floyd Mayweather, I like his style.’ He had a big effect on me.
“I saw him and I thought: ‘I want to be a world champion,’ but when it’s this close you don’t think it’s true.
“I’m so close to fulfilling my dreams and I’ve been boxing since the age of four.
“My dad was a boxer, my brothers were boxers, we’re a boxing family and hopefully I will bring back that world title to Derby.”
Parker, who is 22-0 with 18 KOs, has had to show patience. Twice he saw fights for the WBO interim title against Demetrius Andrade fall through, including one in May at the Derby fan’s beloved Pride Park.
He has not fought for a year because of those two postponements but now has the incentive of landing a shot at the title held by the great Saul Canelo Alvarez if he can beat Ryder.
“It’s been a frustrating year,” he said. “I was meant to fight at Pride Park.
“Then Andrade pulled out with a supposed shoulder injury but I never saw any scans. It got scheduled again but he was nowhere to be seen. We’re here now with John Ryder at the O2 and I feel it will be a lot better fight than Andrade.
“Andrade would have made it awkward. With John Ryder, you know what you’re going to get.
“He’s going to come and bring it and I’m going to bring it as well.”
Parker is 4-11 favourite with bookies to win on Saturday, with Ryder 2-1.