Joseph Parker

[bart]

I don't think AJ can do both . Pulev has a case as he has been next in line over 2 years and it works in Eddies favour to keep the WBO fights inhouse

[diehard]

(12-19-2019, 05:02 PM)Beefstew Wrote: I see Joe is now ranked #2 with the WBO. If AJ drops the WBO belt which sounds likely will it be Usyk vs Parker for the vacant belt?

Beefstew, remind me to never, ever question you again!

Joseph Parker gets big ranking boost as WBO world title shot comes into frame
09:02, Dec 20 2019

Kiwi heavyweight Joseph Parker works the pads with power during a training session at his Las Vegas base.
Joseph Parker has leaped to No 2 on the WBO rankings, heightening the New Zealand heavyweight's chances of another world title shot.

The WBO have just updated their rankings on the back of Anthony Joshua regaining their belt from Andy Ruiz Jr.

Joshua's champion status puts him above the rankings while the WBO has opted to remove Tyson Fury altogether has he prepares for his WBC title rematch with Deontay Wilder in February.

Joseph Parker's one win in 2019 against Alex Leapai hasn't hurt his world rankings.
The result is that Parker, despite his inactivity, moves up two places from No 4 to No 2, nestled behind the Ukraine's Oleksandr Usyk.

Usyk has a mandatary challenge against Joshua but the big Brit also faces a mandatory challenge for his IBF belt from Bulgaria's Kubrat Pulev.

Joshua has until mid-January to sort out his schedule. If he can't appease both organisations he may have to vacate one of his titles and it seems Pulev is the preferred fight option, meaning the WBO belt could be up for grabs.

That could see former champion Parker fighting Usyk, a superstar at cruiserweight but still an unknown force at heavyweight, for the vacant belt.

Parker has had just one fight in 2019 for a win over fading Australian Alex Leapai in the United States in June.

But Parker's link to Matchroom Boxing's Eddie Hearn appears to be working with the British promoter's influence keeping the Kiwi relevant.

Parker has two fights left on a three-fight deal with Hearn and they need to maximise his return.

Parker is also at No 9 with the WBC and No 11 with the IBF as a frustrating year draws to a close.

Meanwhile, fellow New Zealand heavyweight Junior Fa has gone up to a career-high No 6 with the WBO and faces an interesting 2020 where the challenge will be to take his unbeaten record to the next level in terms of quality of opponents.

[diehard]

Full credit to Mr Higgins for lobbying the WBO and going to their conference. Looks like Parker benefited from the Fury/Wilder fight as they removed Fury, the #3 ranking was vacant, and Joe moved up to #2. I think he was close to being forgotten, so this is a huge boost to him.

I know that many go ga-ga over Usyk, but I didn't think he looked that good in his last fight. I think it's an even fight with Parker/Usyk.

[craigyid14]

Joshua won't be giving up his WBO belt, all he talks about is legacy and that Lord of the ring bollocks saying he needs the final 'ring', it'd be nothing to fight twice in 6 months. That would please both organisations and he'd start favourite against both Pulev and Usyk so why not? How is Parker ranked ahead of Dillon Whyte anyway? What does that man have to do to get a title shot?

[diehard]

Parker and Usyk need to have a fight to be the mandatory challenger. Whyte never gets a title fight because he won't take less money than he thinks he's worth. He coulda beaten AJ, as his style is somewhat similar to Ruiz.

Of course, your scenario may have Usyk waiting for a shot at the title and fighting no one until he fights AJ. If I were Usyk, that's what I would do.

[Kiwi]

WBO are tired of waiting

Hopefully it will be Usyk-Parker for the title

[African Monkey]

(12-20-2019, 06:25 PM)diehard Wrote: Parker and Usyk need to have a fight to be the mandatory challenger.  Whyte never gets a title fight because he won't take less money than he thinks he's worth.  He coulda beaten AJ, as his style is somewhat similar to Ruiz.

Of course, your scenario may have Usyk waiting for a shot at the title and fighting no one until he fights AJ.  If I were Usyk, that's what I would do.

Yeah haha Whyte should have taken that AJ fight. Now he's been busted for PEDs and looked terrible without them against a well past it Mariusz Wach. 

[bart]

Also Whyte chose WBC path and hasn't aligned himself with WBO.
Whyte was offered by WBC to fight Ortiz in an eliminator but turned it down so he has had chances handed to him but taking his own path which has cased himself some issues.

[craigyid14]

So since beating Parker, Whyte has beaten Chisora, unbeaten Rivas and Wach. Since also losing to Whyte even Chisora has beaten Gashi,Szpilka and Price. Gashi is on a par with the dross Parker has fought (since his loss to Whyte & bottling against Chisora) but all the boxers mentioned should be ahead of Parker. Have I mentioned that the WBO are a joke of an organization?

[diehard]

Who's Gashi?  A rapper? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gashi_(rapper)

The WBO has always been favourable to NZ fighters.  I agree though, Parker should not be ranked that high.  But what about Trevor Bryan?  He's ranked WBA #1 contender and has fought nobody.  Inactive for 16 months.

Truth be told, Fa shouldn't be ranked WBO #7.  He's fought no one in the top 15.  That being said, Fa needs to fight Kownacki.