Joseph Parker

[diehard]

Joseph Parker and Carlos Takam agree contract terms for IBF heavyweight eliminator

Joseph Parker is one fight away from a shot at the IBF title after details for his elimination bout against Carlos Takam were finally agreed on.

A contract for Joseph Parker's IBF heavyweight elimination bout against Carlos Takam has been signed.

Parker's promoters Duco Events will reveal details at a media conference in Auckland on Wednesday.

The fight will be held in Auckland on May 21.

Duco have revealed the fight will offer the biggest boxing purse in New Zealand history – surpassing the $1m shared between David Tua and Shane Cameron in 2009.

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Duco Events confirmed that the lengthy negotiation process with Takam's management had finally been completed.

The agreed contract between the two fighters' camps avoids a purse bid situation being implemented by the IBF.

The fight will see the winner go on to the the mandatory challenger for the winner of the IBF title fight between champion Charles Martin and Anthony Joshua.

Duco Events now face the massive task of making the promotion financially viable.

Auckland's corporate market will be heavily targeted and a lot of the revenue will be recouped in pay-per-view sales where the Tua-Cameron fight still holds the New Zealand record of 85,000.

Takam's exotic background – he is Cameroon-born, France-based and Italian-managed – opens doors in French-speaking regions.

Parker has a growing profile in the United States while there has been plenty of working into pushing his growing claims into Britain where the heavyweight scene is blossoming.

This will be the biggest test of Parker's unbeaten professional career that now has 18 wins, including 16 knockouts.

The 35-year-old Takam is ranked No 5 by the IBF, one place ahead of Parker.

Takam has 35 wins - 26 via knockouts - a draw and two losses in his record.

He is ranked inside the top 15 by three of the four major organisations.

- Stuff

[justafan]

This says details will be confirmed at a press conference tomorrow.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/78333562/joseph-parker-and-carlos-takam-agree-contract-terms-for-ibf-heavyweight-eliminator

I hope they take it to Vector and price it accordingly eg very expensive up the front but pretty reasonable if you are way back and can hardly see the ring.
If they can get 10,000 in there (which seems viable given Parker's following and this being his first real test) it will turn a few heads both nationally and internationally.
What will work against Duco is that that they have used the fight of the century, toughest test and highest ranked fight to take place in NZ so many times people may not take this seriously.
It might be an eliminator but that means nothing to the casual sports fans

[justafan]

Beat me to it Die

[mippy]

Duco will find it easy to sell. They're pretty good at talking up opponents and this opponent won't need much talking up. I assume that Takam is confident of beating Parker wherever he faces him

[diehard]

I'm expecting a pretty good under card since it's going international. Sure, Butterbean will be on because he has a strong following, and will sell some PPV. Would be great to see Izu on it, but it'll be expensive for Duco and they will probably not want to pay the expenses of a good fighter. And, I think he's supposed to fight in Poland in April/May.

[Infern0]

Part of me hopes Joe loses, just because it would finish duco

[Boxingfan25]

Would love to see Duco Finished but not at the Expense of Joe.

[NakiFan]

I just don't get the hate in regards to Duco. They are promoting their fighter, and to be honest I believe they have done a good job positioning him to where he is currently. The persona of Dean Lonergan probably doesn't sit well with Kiwis, because even though we think ourselves pretty out going, and not fazed by stuff. The fact is most people are pretty conservative, and don't get me going on the reasoning most people chose to keep a flag that was entirely British.

Without Duco, Joseph would possibly still be languishing with Bob Jones. He himself said before the Botha fight that Duco are pushing Parker too fast, while on here people are complaining he hasn't been pushed enough.

The end of the day Duco are in the business of promoting, and if they weren't doing a good job, they would have folded years ago.

[Boxingfan25]

They are doing a decent job I just don't like how they go about things. Lonergan talks way too much crap and Craig stanaway is just along for the ride.

[craigyid14]

I think Duco are a disgrace and an embarrassment to boxing, but no part of me wants Parker to lose. How great would it be if Parker went all the way? It would take boxing to another level over here. He'll get too big for duco if he keeps winning anyway.