01-04-2020, 09:43 AM
Joseph Parker set for February fight return in United States
08:22, Jan 04 2020
New Zealand heavyweight Joseph Parker will fly out to the United States shortly to prepare for a fight in America in February.
Details of the much-needed fight for the former WBO champion are being finalised by his British promoter Eddie Hearn.
"There are concrete plans, which it's not my place to announce," Parker's manager David Higgins told Sky Sports.
Joseph Parker will link up with trainer Kevin Barry to prepare for his next fight.
"We've been told it will be late February and the United States is what we're told. We're just waiting on who the opponent is."
Parker had a frustrating 2019 with just one fight, a win over Australian Alex Leapai in the first of a three-fight, multi-million dollar deal with Hearn's Matchroom Boxing.
Plans for a high-profile London fight against Britain's Dereck Chisora fell over when Parker was laid low by a spider bite.
He desperately needs a good win over a respected opponent to get himself back into the world title reckoning in a division that has Anthony Joshua back in charge with three of the four main belts and American Deontay Wilder holding the other.
Somehow Parker has not only managed to keep decent rankings with the major organisations, he has just been placed at No 2 by the WBO which puts him in a strong position to get a title shot.
Higgins is confident a good opponent will be placed in front of Parker for this US fight.
"It will be someone decent. Joe had a good win over Alex Leapai who fought (Wladimir) Klitschko for a world title, and he won convincingly," Higgins told Sky Sports.
"It's another step-up. He's ranked at two now by the WBO, so it's basically another step towards a better opponent and then after that, should he get a good win, which I think he will, then challenge one of the big boys - Wilder, Fury.
"Joe will fight anyone."
Stuff
08:22, Jan 04 2020
New Zealand heavyweight Joseph Parker will fly out to the United States shortly to prepare for a fight in America in February.
Details of the much-needed fight for the former WBO champion are being finalised by his British promoter Eddie Hearn.
"There are concrete plans, which it's not my place to announce," Parker's manager David Higgins told Sky Sports.
Joseph Parker will link up with trainer Kevin Barry to prepare for his next fight.
"We've been told it will be late February and the United States is what we're told. We're just waiting on who the opponent is."
Parker had a frustrating 2019 with just one fight, a win over Australian Alex Leapai in the first of a three-fight, multi-million dollar deal with Hearn's Matchroom Boxing.
Plans for a high-profile London fight against Britain's Dereck Chisora fell over when Parker was laid low by a spider bite.
He desperately needs a good win over a respected opponent to get himself back into the world title reckoning in a division that has Anthony Joshua back in charge with three of the four main belts and American Deontay Wilder holding the other.
Somehow Parker has not only managed to keep decent rankings with the major organisations, he has just been placed at No 2 by the WBO which puts him in a strong position to get a title shot.
Higgins is confident a good opponent will be placed in front of Parker for this US fight.
"It will be someone decent. Joe had a good win over Alex Leapai who fought (Wladimir) Klitschko for a world title, and he won convincingly," Higgins told Sky Sports.
"It's another step-up. He's ranked at two now by the WBO, so it's basically another step towards a better opponent and then after that, should he get a good win, which I think he will, then challenge one of the big boys - Wilder, Fury.
"Joe will fight anyone."
Stuff