07-30-2018, 01:09 PM
Opinion divided as British heavyweight hotshots weigh in on Joseph Parker's future
MARC HINTON in London
Dillian Whyte is victorious over Joseph Parker after a thrilling heavyweight fight at London's O2 Arena.
Opinions vary between British heavyweight boxing's two men of the moment about the future of Joseph Parker after the Kiwi crashed to a potentially career-destabilising second straight defeat at London's O2 Arena on Sunday (NZT).
According to 34-year-old rejuvenated Londoner Dereck Chisora, who scored a stunning upset knockout victory over France's Carlos Takam in the undercard headliner at a rollicking O2, Parker is done. Finchley's finest reckoned the Kiwi has lost the fire in his belly after securing a couple of big paydays that have earned him in the region of $10-12 million, for his failed unification bout against Anthony Joshua and then his marquee matchup against Dillian Whyte on this card.
"He's a fighter, but when he chucks his jab his hands are down," said an ebullient Chisora at his post-fight press conference when asked where Parker now sat in the pecking order of the top heavyweights after his unanimous points defeat, and career-first twin knockdowns (the first highly dubious). "He was not motivated for this fight. I think when he made money from the Joshua fight he kinda forgot about boxing basically.
"That's the guy I saw in there. The things he done in the AJ fight he was not doing in there. He looked in great shape, but he didn't have it.
"I think Parker is not going to fight again. You think I'm talking crap, don't you? He's a good man but I don't think he'll be fighting again. He don't want to train any more. He hasn't got that hunger."
But Whyte, who said he was pushed to the limit by Parker, said Chisora was "talking rubbish" and predicted more was to come from the hard-hitting Kiwi-Samoan.
"Joseph Parker is young, he's strong, he's intelligent, very experienced and he's fresh and hungry," said Whyte who rated the victory one of the best of his career as it puts him int he frame for a shot at Joshua's trio of belts.
Dillian Whyte says he has a ton of respect for Joseph Parker and believes the Kiwi will bounce back in the heavyweight division.
"He made a hell of a lot of money before this fight, and to come back and put on a show like he did ... he got put down and got up and still believed. He's got a massive future in the heavyweight division.
"Two decent wins and he's back in top contention again. I've got a lot of respect for him. He's got a very good jab, but he just seemed to fall apart in the latter stages. In saying that, he put me down in the last round. I believe he got a very big future, and Dereck Chisora is just talking rubbish.
Whyte's view is certainly closer to the reality than Chisora's. Parker is not done and every indication is he's motivated to get back to the top of the division. But it is going to take some time, and he will have to be prepared to take some lesser-money, lower-tier fights to restore his reputation and work his way back into the conversation.
Can Joseph Parker get up off the canvas? Veteran British heavyweight Dereck Chisora doesn't think so.
Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn predicted it would be tough for Parker to battle back into the heavyweight reckoning.
"With the money Parker's made, he can live a wonderful life. It's going to take some real hunger to want it again, coming back for small purses.
"He's a fighter, but the problem is when you make that type of money, as Marvin Hagler said, it's very difficult to get up and do your hill sprints when you're wearing silk pyjamas.
"It comes down to how much you want it. When he goes back to New Zealand and counts his money, you go 'do I want to build back?' [But] the 12th round kinda saved him because with another 30 seconds he could have had Whyte. He lost but people will be saying 'we'll have Parker back'."
Parker's promoter David Higgins was confident he could find appropriate fights for his charge after he lost "in the best possible way", but ultimately it came down to the boxer having to make that decision.
"Chisora was criticised for taking a few losses and look what he did here. People had written him off. Klitschko had three losses before his 10-year reign as world champion. Whether we're done yet is up to Joseph Parker. I haven't heard anything to suggest he's changing his plan to fight on to age 30-31."
Marc Hinton travelled to London with assistance from Duco Events.
MARC HINTON in London
Dillian Whyte is victorious over Joseph Parker after a thrilling heavyweight fight at London's O2 Arena.
Opinions vary between British heavyweight boxing's two men of the moment about the future of Joseph Parker after the Kiwi crashed to a potentially career-destabilising second straight defeat at London's O2 Arena on Sunday (NZT).
According to 34-year-old rejuvenated Londoner Dereck Chisora, who scored a stunning upset knockout victory over France's Carlos Takam in the undercard headliner at a rollicking O2, Parker is done. Finchley's finest reckoned the Kiwi has lost the fire in his belly after securing a couple of big paydays that have earned him in the region of $10-12 million, for his failed unification bout against Anthony Joshua and then his marquee matchup against Dillian Whyte on this card.
"He's a fighter, but when he chucks his jab his hands are down," said an ebullient Chisora at his post-fight press conference when asked where Parker now sat in the pecking order of the top heavyweights after his unanimous points defeat, and career-first twin knockdowns (the first highly dubious). "He was not motivated for this fight. I think when he made money from the Joshua fight he kinda forgot about boxing basically.
"That's the guy I saw in there. The things he done in the AJ fight he was not doing in there. He looked in great shape, but he didn't have it.
"I think Parker is not going to fight again. You think I'm talking crap, don't you? He's a good man but I don't think he'll be fighting again. He don't want to train any more. He hasn't got that hunger."
But Whyte, who said he was pushed to the limit by Parker, said Chisora was "talking rubbish" and predicted more was to come from the hard-hitting Kiwi-Samoan.
"Joseph Parker is young, he's strong, he's intelligent, very experienced and he's fresh and hungry," said Whyte who rated the victory one of the best of his career as it puts him int he frame for a shot at Joshua's trio of belts.
Dillian Whyte says he has a ton of respect for Joseph Parker and believes the Kiwi will bounce back in the heavyweight division.
"He made a hell of a lot of money before this fight, and to come back and put on a show like he did ... he got put down and got up and still believed. He's got a massive future in the heavyweight division.
"Two decent wins and he's back in top contention again. I've got a lot of respect for him. He's got a very good jab, but he just seemed to fall apart in the latter stages. In saying that, he put me down in the last round. I believe he got a very big future, and Dereck Chisora is just talking rubbish.
Whyte's view is certainly closer to the reality than Chisora's. Parker is not done and every indication is he's motivated to get back to the top of the division. But it is going to take some time, and he will have to be prepared to take some lesser-money, lower-tier fights to restore his reputation and work his way back into the conversation.
Can Joseph Parker get up off the canvas? Veteran British heavyweight Dereck Chisora doesn't think so.
Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn predicted it would be tough for Parker to battle back into the heavyweight reckoning.
"With the money Parker's made, he can live a wonderful life. It's going to take some real hunger to want it again, coming back for small purses.
"He's a fighter, but the problem is when you make that type of money, as Marvin Hagler said, it's very difficult to get up and do your hill sprints when you're wearing silk pyjamas.
"It comes down to how much you want it. When he goes back to New Zealand and counts his money, you go 'do I want to build back?' [But] the 12th round kinda saved him because with another 30 seconds he could have had Whyte. He lost but people will be saying 'we'll have Parker back'."
Parker's promoter David Higgins was confident he could find appropriate fights for his charge after he lost "in the best possible way", but ultimately it came down to the boxer having to make that decision.
"Chisora was criticised for taking a few losses and look what he did here. People had written him off. Klitschko had three losses before his 10-year reign as world champion. Whether we're done yet is up to Joseph Parker. I haven't heard anything to suggest he's changing his plan to fight on to age 30-31."
Marc Hinton travelled to London with assistance from Duco Events.