10-06-2017, 12:30 PM
Anthony Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn says Joseph Parker tough to promote in UK
WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker gained few fans in the UK with his laboured win over Hughie Fury.
British boxing kingpin Eddie Hearn believes Joseph Parker will be a hard sell in the UK until the Kiwi heavyweight lifts his performance levels.
Hearn, promoter of dominant heavyweight Anthony Joshua and wannabe heavyweight Tony Bellew, described Parker's WBO title defence against Hughie Fury as "very poor".
Hearn felt it followed a worrying trend for Parker, describing his previous two wins against Razvan Cojanu and Andy Ruiz as similarly disappointing with all three fights being viewed by British audiences.
British promoter Eddie Hearn believes having his prized fighter Anthony Joshua line out against Joseph Parker is seen as a mismatch in the UK at the moment.
Parker is hoping to work his way towards a unification fight with Joshua in what could be a massive pay day. But Hearn says the 25-year-old New Zealander isn't helping himself.
"Now people think Joshua against Parker is a mis-match," Hearn told Seconds Out Boxing.
"I don't necessarily agree with that. Stylistically it's a good fight and he's got a belt.
"But he's very difficult to promote (in the UK)."
Hearn felt Parker did just enough to beat Fury in what he described as a "very, very poor heavyweight fight" that didn't reflect well on the Kiwi.
"It was a very poor performance from Joseph Parker, it was a very poor performance from Joseph Parker against Cojanu, it was a poor performance against Andy Ruiz.
"And you stat looking at the good performances and saying, 'well actually, is he any good?'.
"I think he is, but we're not seeing it.
Hearn confirmed Parker's laboured majority points win over Fury had cost him an early chance to fight Bellew.
"We were looking at the Bellew fight for Parker but the value diminished because of the Hughie Fury performance and because of his back-to-back-to-back poor performances. It wasn't a great night for Joseph Parker."
Bellew will now fight a lucrative rematch with David Haye in London in December.
The theory is Parker will fight the winner of that in the first quarter of next year and Parker's backers at Duco Events hope a victory there would lead to a unification fight with Joshua.
Parker needs to make a statement in his next fight in December against a yet-to-be-named opponent and would then really need to produce a banger in Britain to convince his doubters there.
Hearn also believed there was a future for Fury at the top level despite concerns over his approach against Parker where he spent most of the night on the run and trying to fight off the back foot, offering little on attack.
"I don't think that Hughie fought the wrong fight, I'm not sure he would have got as close fighting another fight (style)," Hearn reasoned.
"I think the game-plan against Parker was spot-on, they just didn't throw enough punches, they didn't let the right hand go enough.
"Fury impressed me in the fight because I thought he would get stopped. But he didn't take enough chances.
"Coming off that fight when you box that way and don't win, you have to deal with it as a stinker.
"Hughie can compete at a top level but he needs to engage his style more."
- Stuff
WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker gained few fans in the UK with his laboured win over Hughie Fury.
British boxing kingpin Eddie Hearn believes Joseph Parker will be a hard sell in the UK until the Kiwi heavyweight lifts his performance levels.
Hearn, promoter of dominant heavyweight Anthony Joshua and wannabe heavyweight Tony Bellew, described Parker's WBO title defence against Hughie Fury as "very poor".
Hearn felt it followed a worrying trend for Parker, describing his previous two wins against Razvan Cojanu and Andy Ruiz as similarly disappointing with all three fights being viewed by British audiences.
British promoter Eddie Hearn believes having his prized fighter Anthony Joshua line out against Joseph Parker is seen as a mismatch in the UK at the moment.
Parker is hoping to work his way towards a unification fight with Joshua in what could be a massive pay day. But Hearn says the 25-year-old New Zealander isn't helping himself.
"Now people think Joshua against Parker is a mis-match," Hearn told Seconds Out Boxing.
"I don't necessarily agree with that. Stylistically it's a good fight and he's got a belt.
"But he's very difficult to promote (in the UK)."
Hearn felt Parker did just enough to beat Fury in what he described as a "very, very poor heavyweight fight" that didn't reflect well on the Kiwi.
"It was a very poor performance from Joseph Parker, it was a very poor performance from Joseph Parker against Cojanu, it was a poor performance against Andy Ruiz.
"And you stat looking at the good performances and saying, 'well actually, is he any good?'.
"I think he is, but we're not seeing it.
Hearn confirmed Parker's laboured majority points win over Fury had cost him an early chance to fight Bellew.
"We were looking at the Bellew fight for Parker but the value diminished because of the Hughie Fury performance and because of his back-to-back-to-back poor performances. It wasn't a great night for Joseph Parker."
Bellew will now fight a lucrative rematch with David Haye in London in December.
The theory is Parker will fight the winner of that in the first quarter of next year and Parker's backers at Duco Events hope a victory there would lead to a unification fight with Joshua.
Parker needs to make a statement in his next fight in December against a yet-to-be-named opponent and would then really need to produce a banger in Britain to convince his doubters there.
Hearn also believed there was a future for Fury at the top level despite concerns over his approach against Parker where he spent most of the night on the run and trying to fight off the back foot, offering little on attack.
"I don't think that Hughie fought the wrong fight, I'm not sure he would have got as close fighting another fight (style)," Hearn reasoned.
"I think the game-plan against Parker was spot-on, they just didn't throw enough punches, they didn't let the right hand go enough.
"Fury impressed me in the fight because I thought he would get stopped. But he didn't take enough chances.
"Coming off that fight when you box that way and don't win, you have to deal with it as a stinker.
"Hughie can compete at a top level but he needs to engage his style more."
- Stuff