12-01-2016, 08:10 PM
Joseph Parker's bosses seek new path for WBO title winner as David Haye exits frame
Outspoken British boxer David Haye's decision to fight Tony Bellew has thrown the WBO title route into a spin.
Joseph Parker's handlers have written to the WBO to explain the path forward from the heavyweight title fight now that Englishman David Haye has removed himself from the equation.
Parker and Mexican Andy Ruiz clash in Auckland on December 10 for the organisation's heavyweight belt.
When the WBO sanctioned the fight for Auckland they also announced that Haye, a former world champion on the comeback, would be the mandatory challenger to the winner with a fight to be ordered within 120 days of the title fight.
Hughie Fury, cousin of fallen champion Tyson Fury, looks to be the next fighter on the mandatory challenger's list for the WBO title after fellow Brit David Haye took himself out of the equation.
But Haye has now decided to rebuild his career with a local option, taking on British cruiserweight Tony Bellew in a fight scheduled for March 4 in London.
There's no way Haye will then have time to turn around and clash with the winner of the Parker-Ruiz fight.
Duco Events co-owner Dean Lonergan confirmed they had emailed the WBO for a "please explain".
The early indications are that the WBO will go to the next fighter on their rankings which would be Hughie Fury, cousin to former champion Tyson Fury whose fall from grace has opened up the heavyweight division.
Behind Hughie Fury in the WBO rankings lies American Jarrell Miller.
"People might think we are guilty of looking too far ahead but we have to," Lonergan said.
"Joseph Parker and Kevin Barry have to concentrate on Andy Ruiz but it's my job to look at what happens next. Win or lose against Ruiz, the show has to go on. Things change very quickly in this business as we've seen over the last couple of months."
Lonergan said Parker and Barry would be given a couple of months off after the Ruiz fight which will be his fifth bout of a demanding year.
"They deserve the break, but we want to see Joe back fighting in March or April," Lonergan said.
Lonergan said if Parker became the WBO champion they would have no fears about taking on Hughie Fury, seeing that fight as a good way to announce Parker to the British audience ahead of any fight against IBF champion Anthony Joshua.
Parker's trainer Barry admitted disappointment but no surprise by Haye's move to duck Parker and take on Bellew.
"It's actually a very, very smart business decision for him," Barry said.
"The David Haye-Tony Bellew fight in the UK is big, big deal. It's a fight where both guys generate huge purses, that's why that fight was made.
"It's also a fight David Haye looks at and says, 'I'm fighting a cruiserweight' ... and quite a sloppy cruiserweight too. It's a fight where David Haye will be a very big favourite."
Barry believed Haye had a fighting style that would have suited Parker.
"I think it was a no-brainer for him to take the Tony Bellew fight and step aside from fighting the winner of Joe and Ruiz.
"For us it's probably a little bit disappointing. If we win the fight with Andy Ruiz, it's disappointing because I've always liked David Haye's style for Joe. He's a cruiserweight moved up to heavyweight, he's not a big heavyweight.
"He's a guy that I think Joe's style measures up very well with David Haye. It would have been a nice fight, a very lucrative fight and a fight that would have had a lot of interest."
- Stuff
Outspoken British boxer David Haye's decision to fight Tony Bellew has thrown the WBO title route into a spin.
Joseph Parker's handlers have written to the WBO to explain the path forward from the heavyweight title fight now that Englishman David Haye has removed himself from the equation.
Parker and Mexican Andy Ruiz clash in Auckland on December 10 for the organisation's heavyweight belt.
When the WBO sanctioned the fight for Auckland they also announced that Haye, a former world champion on the comeback, would be the mandatory challenger to the winner with a fight to be ordered within 120 days of the title fight.
Hughie Fury, cousin of fallen champion Tyson Fury, looks to be the next fighter on the mandatory challenger's list for the WBO title after fellow Brit David Haye took himself out of the equation.
But Haye has now decided to rebuild his career with a local option, taking on British cruiserweight Tony Bellew in a fight scheduled for March 4 in London.
There's no way Haye will then have time to turn around and clash with the winner of the Parker-Ruiz fight.
Duco Events co-owner Dean Lonergan confirmed they had emailed the WBO for a "please explain".
The early indications are that the WBO will go to the next fighter on their rankings which would be Hughie Fury, cousin to former champion Tyson Fury whose fall from grace has opened up the heavyweight division.
Behind Hughie Fury in the WBO rankings lies American Jarrell Miller.
"People might think we are guilty of looking too far ahead but we have to," Lonergan said.
"Joseph Parker and Kevin Barry have to concentrate on Andy Ruiz but it's my job to look at what happens next. Win or lose against Ruiz, the show has to go on. Things change very quickly in this business as we've seen over the last couple of months."
Lonergan said Parker and Barry would be given a couple of months off after the Ruiz fight which will be his fifth bout of a demanding year.
"They deserve the break, but we want to see Joe back fighting in March or April," Lonergan said.
Lonergan said if Parker became the WBO champion they would have no fears about taking on Hughie Fury, seeing that fight as a good way to announce Parker to the British audience ahead of any fight against IBF champion Anthony Joshua.
Parker's trainer Barry admitted disappointment but no surprise by Haye's move to duck Parker and take on Bellew.
"It's actually a very, very smart business decision for him," Barry said.
"The David Haye-Tony Bellew fight in the UK is big, big deal. It's a fight where both guys generate huge purses, that's why that fight was made.
"It's also a fight David Haye looks at and says, 'I'm fighting a cruiserweight' ... and quite a sloppy cruiserweight too. It's a fight where David Haye will be a very big favourite."
Barry believed Haye had a fighting style that would have suited Parker.
"I think it was a no-brainer for him to take the Tony Bellew fight and step aside from fighting the winner of Joe and Ruiz.
"For us it's probably a little bit disappointing. If we win the fight with Andy Ruiz, it's disappointing because I've always liked David Haye's style for Joe. He's a cruiserweight moved up to heavyweight, he's not a big heavyweight.
"He's a guy that I think Joe's style measures up very well with David Haye. It would have been a nice fight, a very lucrative fight and a fight that would have had a lot of interest."
- Stuff