06-29-2018, 02:24 PM
Joseph Parker's London fight with Dillian Whyte almost sold out
Trainer Kevin Barry dishes out orders to Joseph Parker during a sparring session.
Joseph Parker's London fight with Dillian Whyte is on the verge of selling out two weeks after tickets went on sale.
World-rated heavyweights Parker and Whyte clash at the 20,000-seater O2 Arena on July 29 (NZT).
Parker's promoter David Higgins confirmed all but a handful of tickets had now been sold for a fight that will be broadcast on pay-per-view in the UK and New Zealand.
Organisers are looking at ways to squeeze more seating into the venue to meet demand.
The rapid sales are a reflection of south Londoner Whyte's huge support base in the capital and the growing respect for Parker in the UK.
This will be Parker's third fight in Britain within a year.
His first fight there last September against Hughie Fury in Manchester failed to fill the local arena despite it being a world title fight for the Kiwi's WBO belt.
Parker's April 1 clash with Anthony Joshua in Cardiff attracted around 78,000 fans.
Higgins, who cleverly stitched the Whyte fight together with UK counterpart Eddie Hearn inside three days, is delighted with the quick demand for tickets though not surprised.
The fight will command heavy international attention with the winner well positioned to challenge either of the current world champions in Joshua (WBA, IBF and WBO) and Deontay Wilder (WBC).
With Joshua and Wilder failing to lock in their highly anticipated unification bout the scramble for meaningful alternatives continues with Parker v Whyte getting in first.
Parker, taking the fight on late notice, is in a hurried training camp in Las Vegas with the fight now just four weeks away.
"The promotion is going great," Higgins told Stuff on Friday.
"And speaking to Joe in Las Vegas, he's feeling ahead of where he was for the Anthony Joshua fight."
Parker's trainer Kevin Barry confirmed that they were well into their sparring phase of the shortened camp.
"Joe has sparred four times with 30 rounds to date," Barry said.
"No messing around this camp ... we are already well ahead of where we were for the Joshua camp."
Trainer Kevin Barry dishes out orders to Joseph Parker during a sparring session.
Joseph Parker's London fight with Dillian Whyte is on the verge of selling out two weeks after tickets went on sale.
World-rated heavyweights Parker and Whyte clash at the 20,000-seater O2 Arena on July 29 (NZT).
Parker's promoter David Higgins confirmed all but a handful of tickets had now been sold for a fight that will be broadcast on pay-per-view in the UK and New Zealand.
Organisers are looking at ways to squeeze more seating into the venue to meet demand.
The rapid sales are a reflection of south Londoner Whyte's huge support base in the capital and the growing respect for Parker in the UK.
This will be Parker's third fight in Britain within a year.
His first fight there last September against Hughie Fury in Manchester failed to fill the local arena despite it being a world title fight for the Kiwi's WBO belt.
Parker's April 1 clash with Anthony Joshua in Cardiff attracted around 78,000 fans.
Higgins, who cleverly stitched the Whyte fight together with UK counterpart Eddie Hearn inside three days, is delighted with the quick demand for tickets though not surprised.
The fight will command heavy international attention with the winner well positioned to challenge either of the current world champions in Joshua (WBA, IBF and WBO) and Deontay Wilder (WBC).
With Joshua and Wilder failing to lock in their highly anticipated unification bout the scramble for meaningful alternatives continues with Parker v Whyte getting in first.
Parker, taking the fight on late notice, is in a hurried training camp in Las Vegas with the fight now just four weeks away.
"The promotion is going great," Higgins told Stuff on Friday.
"And speaking to Joe in Las Vegas, he's feeling ahead of where he was for the Anthony Joshua fight."
Parker's trainer Kevin Barry confirmed that they were well into their sparring phase of the shortened camp.
"Joe has sparred four times with 30 rounds to date," Barry said.
"No messing around this camp ... we are already well ahead of where we were for the Joshua camp."