Joseph Parker has urged Joe Joyce to accept the offer of a heavyweight showdown.
London’s Joyce won the European, British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles when he stopped Daniel Dubois last year. But New Zealand’s Parker has based himself in the UK, signed with promoter BOXXER and broadcaster Sky Sports and has called for Joyce to restart talks.
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Ben Shalom takes a look at the current heavyweight division and gives his views on a potential fight between Joseph Parker and Deontay Wilder, as well as looking at the future of Dillian Whyte.
“The fight with Joe Joyce is a fight I’d love to make. But do you know what it comes down to? It comes down to egos. I know I’ve signed with BOXXER and Sky and Joyce is with BT and Frank Warren, but why can’t we make it happen?” Parker said.
“There’s many examples of other fighters that are signed with this team and signed with [another] team, they all come together and make it happen. Why can’t we make it happen? It’s a great fight.
“Why don’t we lock it in and actually fight?”
Joyce has hit out at Parker on social media, accusing him of ducking a fight. “Joe Joyce has been talking smack on Twitter? Let’s get one thing straight, I’m not sure if that’s Joe Joyce writing it or not,” the New Zealander said.
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Dillian Whyte flattened Joseph Parker twice then survived a near-knockout in the final 30 seconds to claim a points win in their high-stakes heavyweight showdown.
“When I compare the interviews and when I compare what’s been written, the statements, I’m questioning who’s writing these statements.
Parker also insisted, “I’ll fight absolutely anyone there is. I’m still waiting, I’m waiting for someone to accept the offer.”
“Now I’m going to be working with Sky and BOXXER, I can’t wait to see what we can do together,” he explained.
“In terms of fights there’s offers out to other fighters out there, top fighters, fighters like Dillian Whyte, Joe Joyce. We’ve given an offer to Deontay Wilder, but no one is taking the fight.”
Dillian Whyte beat Parker in a good 2018 fight at the O2 in London. But Parker is adamant the result would be different a second time around.
Parker insists a rematch with Whyte would be different from their first fight.
“I would absolutely love a rematch with Dillian Whyte. I’ve been calling for this rematch since the first fight. Because I know what I can do if I fight him again. He won the first fight, great for him. We do keep in touch, sometimes good, sometimes bad, but the rematch is one that I’d love to take. When he’s ready, I’m ready,” the former heavyweight world champion said.
“I want the rematch with Dillian because I know what I can do. The first fight was a very close fight. The second fight would be different.
“I’m a lot different fighter now. Working with Andy [Lee] and the new team, I’ve learned a lot of things and I feel like there’s a lot more to learn and a lot more to show and just give me that chance, give me that opportunity.”
He has been training in Morecambe with Tyson Fury, the current WBC titlist and world leading heavyweight.
“Morecambe is the home of boxing. Morecambe is the place to be and Morecambe is where I’m going to be spending the rest of my career. Training out of Morecambe with the team. I’ve got everything up there,” Parker said.
Joseph Parker is learning from WBC champ Tyson Fury.
“There’s nothing in New Zealand for boxing. There’s no top level fighters. There’s no sparring partners. To be in Morecambe is to train with everyone there plus Tyson, it would be fantastic, it would be great. It’s proved that it’s the right way to go forward.
“In the next couple of years I can win a heavyweight title world title. But that’s not what I’m putting my focus on at the moment. My focus is locking in a fight and locking in many fights and just keep winning and the titles will come. If I do my thing in the ring, perform well and smash everyone the way I know I can, then the title will come eventually.”