11-08-2016, 12:33 PM
Joseph Parker's world title fight confirmed for Auckland
Signage at the announcement Joseph Parker will fight Andy Ruiz in Auckland for the WBO heavyweight title.
Kiwi boxer Joseph Parker has got his dream bout, a home fight for the WBO heavyweight title.
Parker's fight against Mexican Andy Ruiz was confirmed for Auckland on December 10 at a Duco Events announcement on Tuesday morning.
The fight will be held indoors at Vector Arena.
The announcement ends a prolonged period of negotiation to find the funds to host the historic fight after Duco was given first rights when it was sanctioned by the WBO on October 20.
The belt was vacated by troubled Brit Tyson Fury and gives the opportunity for the first New Zealand-born fighter, or the first Mexican, to win a genuine world heavyweight title.
Duco overcame several stumbling blocks to make the finances work – withdrawing an application for government funds because of a political and public backlash, and then losing the backing of Auckland City's promotional arm, Ateed, last Thursday, just when the deal appeared to be done.
In the end the opportunity to give Parker home advantage proved irresistible with a reworked financial model set up over the last weekend.
If Parker can beat Ruiz, the big money lies in defences and unification bouts in a division split wide open by the sidelining of Fury.
Parker was adamant he wanted to fight for the title at home. It was one of the big attractions of giving up his mandatory rights to challenge IBF champion Anthony Joshua and go down the vacant WBO route.
Ruiz's promoter Bob Arum was ready to take control of the fight and stage it in the United States if Duco couldn't stitch the Auckland deal together.
Duco now face the big task of selling the fight to the public with just 33 days till fight night.
They will be relying on major corporate support, a sellout at the fight venue and cashing in on their TV rights.
They have predicted a possible global audience reaching more than 500-million households across 100 countries, though Arum will take the lucrative rights to the United States and Mexico.
Parker and his trainer Kevin Barry have been in camp in Las Vegas preparing for a December 10 clash while Ruiz and his trainer Abel Sanchez are also deep into their preparations at altitude at Big Bear in California.
- Stuff
Signage at the announcement Joseph Parker will fight Andy Ruiz in Auckland for the WBO heavyweight title.
Kiwi boxer Joseph Parker has got his dream bout, a home fight for the WBO heavyweight title.
Parker's fight against Mexican Andy Ruiz was confirmed for Auckland on December 10 at a Duco Events announcement on Tuesday morning.
The fight will be held indoors at Vector Arena.
The announcement ends a prolonged period of negotiation to find the funds to host the historic fight after Duco was given first rights when it was sanctioned by the WBO on October 20.
The belt was vacated by troubled Brit Tyson Fury and gives the opportunity for the first New Zealand-born fighter, or the first Mexican, to win a genuine world heavyweight title.
Duco overcame several stumbling blocks to make the finances work – withdrawing an application for government funds because of a political and public backlash, and then losing the backing of Auckland City's promotional arm, Ateed, last Thursday, just when the deal appeared to be done.
In the end the opportunity to give Parker home advantage proved irresistible with a reworked financial model set up over the last weekend.
If Parker can beat Ruiz, the big money lies in defences and unification bouts in a division split wide open by the sidelining of Fury.
Parker was adamant he wanted to fight for the title at home. It was one of the big attractions of giving up his mandatory rights to challenge IBF champion Anthony Joshua and go down the vacant WBO route.
Ruiz's promoter Bob Arum was ready to take control of the fight and stage it in the United States if Duco couldn't stitch the Auckland deal together.
Duco now face the big task of selling the fight to the public with just 33 days till fight night.
They will be relying on major corporate support, a sellout at the fight venue and cashing in on their TV rights.
They have predicted a possible global audience reaching more than 500-million households across 100 countries, though Arum will take the lucrative rights to the United States and Mexico.
Parker and his trainer Kevin Barry have been in camp in Las Vegas preparing for a December 10 clash while Ruiz and his trainer Abel Sanchez are also deep into their preparations at altitude at Big Bear in California.
- Stuff