02-29-2020, 10:50 AM
UK promoter Eddie Hearn eager to extend Joseph Parker's contract
DUNCAN JOHNSTONE in Frisco
Boxing's money man still sees a bright future for Kiwi heavyweight and wants to keep him on his books.
British boxing promoter Eddie Hearn wants to extend his deal with Joseph Parker, adamant the Kiwi is a major player in the heavyweight division and capable of winning another world title.
Parker takes on North American champion Shawndell Winters in Texas on Sunday (2pm NZT) in the second of a three-fight deal with Hearn's Matchroom Boxing.
If Parker does the business against Winters, it's expected Hearn and Parker's manager David Higgins will enter early negotiations for a fresh contract.
Joseph Parker still has plenty of star power in the eyes of British promoter Eddie Hearn.
"We will be looking to extend," Hearn confirmed.
"We want to be major players in the heavyweight division. Joseph Parker is a major player in the heavyweight division. He's very good, he's capable of being a world champion again.
Eddie Hearn and David Higgins are set to lock horns again to sort out Joseph Parker's future.
"I don't really tie fighters down to five year deals and stuff like that. If you want to work with us, you want to work with us.
"I like Joseph, he's very popular in the UK. I like Kevin Barry, I like David's madness. They are enjoyable to work with.
"Joseph is at a very important moment in his career where he needs the right opportunities. If David ever felt we couldn't provide those opportunities maybe he would bugger off. But it's important to have plans."
Hearn said he and Duco Boxing had cemented the foundations for their relationship with the 2018 world title fight in Cardiff against Anthony Joshua which was a pay-per-view knockout.
"We had a great partnership where everybody made a load of money. Joseph didn't get the result he wanted but he came back against Dillian Whyte and nearly had that won. He's not afraid to fight anyone and I just want to see Joseph get momentum."
These are hugely encouraging words for Parker and his fans from one of the major players in the game, especially with a Kiwi sporting public shaking their heads at a schedule that has seen the 28-year-old fight just twice in the last 19 months.
Eddie Hearn has warned Joseph Parker to be careful with the punching power of veteran Shawndell Winters.
Higgins indicated he would test the market before tying down Parker to Matchroom and said there were other options though they had enjoyed a great relationship with Hearn.
Matchroom would appear the sensible call given their dominance of the increasingly popular online broadcast market with DAZN and their links to the major TV players.
Parker having to withdraw from his highly anticipated fight with Dereck Chisora late last year because of a spider bite was described by Hearn as "fustrating, unavoidable and a kick in the nuts big time" because so much was happening in the division.
Things got a little bit twitchy when the American heavyweight eyed his Kiwi opponent in Texas.
The consequence was the position Parker finds himself in now, having to hit the reset button against the unheralded but wiley Winters.
"These big guys, it's almost like they are jumbo jets flying around the world and they are coming into land and if you miss your landing spot and your time you have to go back and circle again," Hearn offered as a clever analogy for the tricky match-making business.
Hearn also coughed up some big names as options for Parker if he beats Winters, indicating he'd like to get him back in action again as early as late May.
He pointed out that Parker's No 2 ranking with the WBO placed him to fight Ukrainian star Oleksandr Usyk for that title if it is vacated by a busy Anthony Joshua.
"But there are so many great fights for Joseph Parker in the heavyweight division, not just Usyk ... a Dillian Whyte rematch, an Andy Ruiz rematch, you've got Chisora, Alexander Povetkin, Luis Ortiz.
"He's in a great position, he just needs the momentum back. It only takes one good performance and one good knockout for people to say, 'Joseph Parker looked good, he's a threat to the division'. He has stepped off the radar a bit because of the inactivity."
Hearn felt that under the circumstances the fight against Winters was a good bout for Parker to get regain that momentum. He thinks a knockout is likely but didn't want to put pressure on Parker and warned that the American was "no journeyman" and was indeed dangerous.
"Joseph hasn't got to prove anything to me, he's a great fighter and I'm behind him every step of the way."
In explaining the choice of Winters he said finances dictated it because he had such a world-class card lined up already.
"It was mainly my fault because we had spent a load of money. The fact is we didn't have millions of dollars to bring in Povetkin or those kinds of guys because we didn't need that for this card. But we needed to get Joe out again.
"Winters is dangerous and I think Joseph has to be a little bit careful in this fight. Winters genuinely thinks he is going to knock Joseph out.
"That's the beauty of the heavyweight division. Just one moment and it's all over, you trade up with these guys and you get hit on the chin, it's going to be a problem. It's very easy for someone to go to sleep.
"I think this one is going to give Joseph the opportunity for a nice clean knockout ... but be careful."
AT A GLANCE
Joseph Parker v Shawndell Winters, heavyweight boxing
Where: Ford Centre, Frisco, Texas
When: Parker's ring walk starts at 2pm Sunday, live on Sky Arena
What's at stake: Plenty for Parker who eyes a second run at a world title. A huge opportunity for 39-year-old Winters to claim some fame
Records: Parker 26-2, Winters 13-2
Rounds boxed: Parker 160, Winters 46
KO percentage: Parker 71.43%, Winters 80%
Height: Parker 1.93m, Winters 1.88m
Expected weights: Parker 111kg, Winters 95kg
Stuff
DUNCAN JOHNSTONE in Frisco
Boxing's money man still sees a bright future for Kiwi heavyweight and wants to keep him on his books.
British boxing promoter Eddie Hearn wants to extend his deal with Joseph Parker, adamant the Kiwi is a major player in the heavyweight division and capable of winning another world title.
Parker takes on North American champion Shawndell Winters in Texas on Sunday (2pm NZT) in the second of a three-fight deal with Hearn's Matchroom Boxing.
If Parker does the business against Winters, it's expected Hearn and Parker's manager David Higgins will enter early negotiations for a fresh contract.
Joseph Parker still has plenty of star power in the eyes of British promoter Eddie Hearn.
"We will be looking to extend," Hearn confirmed.
"We want to be major players in the heavyweight division. Joseph Parker is a major player in the heavyweight division. He's very good, he's capable of being a world champion again.
Eddie Hearn and David Higgins are set to lock horns again to sort out Joseph Parker's future.
"I don't really tie fighters down to five year deals and stuff like that. If you want to work with us, you want to work with us.
"I like Joseph, he's very popular in the UK. I like Kevin Barry, I like David's madness. They are enjoyable to work with.
"Joseph is at a very important moment in his career where he needs the right opportunities. If David ever felt we couldn't provide those opportunities maybe he would bugger off. But it's important to have plans."
Hearn said he and Duco Boxing had cemented the foundations for their relationship with the 2018 world title fight in Cardiff against Anthony Joshua which was a pay-per-view knockout.
"We had a great partnership where everybody made a load of money. Joseph didn't get the result he wanted but he came back against Dillian Whyte and nearly had that won. He's not afraid to fight anyone and I just want to see Joseph get momentum."
These are hugely encouraging words for Parker and his fans from one of the major players in the game, especially with a Kiwi sporting public shaking their heads at a schedule that has seen the 28-year-old fight just twice in the last 19 months.
Eddie Hearn has warned Joseph Parker to be careful with the punching power of veteran Shawndell Winters.
Higgins indicated he would test the market before tying down Parker to Matchroom and said there were other options though they had enjoyed a great relationship with Hearn.
Matchroom would appear the sensible call given their dominance of the increasingly popular online broadcast market with DAZN and their links to the major TV players.
Parker having to withdraw from his highly anticipated fight with Dereck Chisora late last year because of a spider bite was described by Hearn as "fustrating, unavoidable and a kick in the nuts big time" because so much was happening in the division.
Things got a little bit twitchy when the American heavyweight eyed his Kiwi opponent in Texas.
The consequence was the position Parker finds himself in now, having to hit the reset button against the unheralded but wiley Winters.
"These big guys, it's almost like they are jumbo jets flying around the world and they are coming into land and if you miss your landing spot and your time you have to go back and circle again," Hearn offered as a clever analogy for the tricky match-making business.
Hearn also coughed up some big names as options for Parker if he beats Winters, indicating he'd like to get him back in action again as early as late May.
He pointed out that Parker's No 2 ranking with the WBO placed him to fight Ukrainian star Oleksandr Usyk for that title if it is vacated by a busy Anthony Joshua.
"But there are so many great fights for Joseph Parker in the heavyweight division, not just Usyk ... a Dillian Whyte rematch, an Andy Ruiz rematch, you've got Chisora, Alexander Povetkin, Luis Ortiz.
"He's in a great position, he just needs the momentum back. It only takes one good performance and one good knockout for people to say, 'Joseph Parker looked good, he's a threat to the division'. He has stepped off the radar a bit because of the inactivity."
Hearn felt that under the circumstances the fight against Winters was a good bout for Parker to get regain that momentum. He thinks a knockout is likely but didn't want to put pressure on Parker and warned that the American was "no journeyman" and was indeed dangerous.
"Joseph hasn't got to prove anything to me, he's a great fighter and I'm behind him every step of the way."
In explaining the choice of Winters he said finances dictated it because he had such a world-class card lined up already.
"It was mainly my fault because we had spent a load of money. The fact is we didn't have millions of dollars to bring in Povetkin or those kinds of guys because we didn't need that for this card. But we needed to get Joe out again.
"Winters is dangerous and I think Joseph has to be a little bit careful in this fight. Winters genuinely thinks he is going to knock Joseph out.
"That's the beauty of the heavyweight division. Just one moment and it's all over, you trade up with these guys and you get hit on the chin, it's going to be a problem. It's very easy for someone to go to sleep.
"I think this one is going to give Joseph the opportunity for a nice clean knockout ... but be careful."
AT A GLANCE
Joseph Parker v Shawndell Winters, heavyweight boxing
Where: Ford Centre, Frisco, Texas
When: Parker's ring walk starts at 2pm Sunday, live on Sky Arena
What's at stake: Plenty for Parker who eyes a second run at a world title. A huge opportunity for 39-year-old Winters to claim some fame
Records: Parker 26-2, Winters 13-2
Rounds boxed: Parker 160, Winters 46
KO percentage: Parker 71.43%, Winters 80%
Height: Parker 1.93m, Winters 1.88m
Expected weights: Parker 111kg, Winters 95kg
Stuff