06-01-2016, 11:53 AM
Joseph Parker: I won't avoid anyone in my quest to be world heavyweight champion
Joseph Parker says he won't avoid anyone in his quest to get to the top of the boxing world and hopes the new breed of heavyweights can develop rivalries to inject life into the division.
Parker has the mandatory rights to fight IBF champion Anthony Joshua.
Parker fights Australian veteran Solomon Haumono in Christchurch in July as he looks to keep busy while he waits for Joshua.
Parker's handlers Duco Events are also talking up having a crack at Britain's former world champion David Haye, a risky fight that could come on the undercard of a Joshua promotion in London later in the year to introduce the Kiwi star to the lucrative British market.
READ MORE:
* Haumono's sneaky peek at Parker
* Mike Tyson likes Tyson Fury
* Parker's true ranking revealed
* Parker v Haye in pipeline
"I want five fights again this year, stepping up the level of opposition steeply throughout the year. There's no fight I'd avoid if it gets me to the top," Parker told Boxingnewsonline.
Parker has already fought twice this year and the 24-year-old made it clear he doesn't want a padded record. His last win over France's Carlos Takam was his toughest as he went 12 rounds to secure the No 1 ranking with the IBF and set up a title shot.
"I'm ready and willing to pursue a world title the old-fashioned way, by taking tough and risky fights that are necessary," Parker said.
"These days, there's too much record-padding and politics in boxing, which often prevents the fights that the public wants to see from happening.
"I hope a new post-Klitschko era in the heavyweight division will see great rivalries play out, like during the Mike Tyson-Evander Holyfield-Riddick Bowe era. I'd be proud to play a part in a revitalised heavyweight division, where the best fighters face each other."
Parker and 26-year-old Joshua have been on a collision course for some time. Parker believes he's ahead fo the London Olympic champion in terms of development and certainly isn't shy of taking the taller and powerful Joshua on.
Parker has an unbeaten professional record over 19 fights.
He's young enough to have another crack at the world title if he falls short at his first attempt.
And speculation of a fight against Haye shows he's brave enough to back up his tough talk.
That fight would put his mandatory position on the line. It's another risk and reward venture.
The risk would be losing the mandatory rights and any poor performance would dent his image in Britain where the fight scene is having a renaissance.
But a win against Haye would give Parker and his handlers huge bargaining power for a crack at Joshua, the 26-year-old who is taking the scene by storm alongside fellow Brit Tyson Fury, the WBA and WBO champion.
- Stuff
Joseph Parker says he won't avoid anyone in his quest to get to the top of the boxing world and hopes the new breed of heavyweights can develop rivalries to inject life into the division.
Parker has the mandatory rights to fight IBF champion Anthony Joshua.
Parker fights Australian veteran Solomon Haumono in Christchurch in July as he looks to keep busy while he waits for Joshua.
Parker's handlers Duco Events are also talking up having a crack at Britain's former world champion David Haye, a risky fight that could come on the undercard of a Joshua promotion in London later in the year to introduce the Kiwi star to the lucrative British market.
READ MORE:
* Haumono's sneaky peek at Parker
* Mike Tyson likes Tyson Fury
* Parker's true ranking revealed
* Parker v Haye in pipeline
"I want five fights again this year, stepping up the level of opposition steeply throughout the year. There's no fight I'd avoid if it gets me to the top," Parker told Boxingnewsonline.
Parker has already fought twice this year and the 24-year-old made it clear he doesn't want a padded record. His last win over France's Carlos Takam was his toughest as he went 12 rounds to secure the No 1 ranking with the IBF and set up a title shot.
"I'm ready and willing to pursue a world title the old-fashioned way, by taking tough and risky fights that are necessary," Parker said.
"These days, there's too much record-padding and politics in boxing, which often prevents the fights that the public wants to see from happening.
"I hope a new post-Klitschko era in the heavyweight division will see great rivalries play out, like during the Mike Tyson-Evander Holyfield-Riddick Bowe era. I'd be proud to play a part in a revitalised heavyweight division, where the best fighters face each other."
Parker and 26-year-old Joshua have been on a collision course for some time. Parker believes he's ahead fo the London Olympic champion in terms of development and certainly isn't shy of taking the taller and powerful Joshua on.
Parker has an unbeaten professional record over 19 fights.
He's young enough to have another crack at the world title if he falls short at his first attempt.
And speculation of a fight against Haye shows he's brave enough to back up his tough talk.
That fight would put his mandatory position on the line. It's another risk and reward venture.
The risk would be losing the mandatory rights and any poor performance would dent his image in Britain where the fight scene is having a renaissance.
But a win against Haye would give Parker and his handlers huge bargaining power for a crack at Joshua, the 26-year-old who is taking the scene by storm alongside fellow Brit Tyson Fury, the WBA and WBO champion.
- Stuff