Parker targets KO bout next

A $10 million offer might earn Hughie Fury consideration for a rematch but Joseph Parker plans to move on with his next opponent hand-picked to be blown away.

That's a basic summation of what's in store, with the Kiwi heavyweight's handlers eager to see him fight again in December and get his knockout style back on track.

After a frustrating but successful defence of the WBO world heavyweight title against Fury, they want to put an opponent in front of Parker who suits his style.

That's their prerogative now they are free of the mandatory situation and can make a voluntary defence on their own terms.

The fighter will be world ranked and the fight will have to make economic sense. But it will be a chance to get Parker back into his attacking rhythm again after a night in Manchester Arena spent chasing down a dancing Fury who rarely wanted to engage.

"We are going to go and pick something with a style that is not going to make Joe frustrated, someone who is going to come forward. Joe has always looked great agains fighters that come forward," Parker's trainer Kevin Barry told Stuff.

"The old saying that boxing styles make fights ... that style was always going to be an ugly style. I couldn't see how it was ever going to be an exciting fight unless Joe did knock him out.

"The fact that we have a voluntary now, we will choose someone who will stand there and trade with Joe, someone that is similar to his height."

Barry felt it was important for Parker to get a knockout on his CV again after being taken the distance by Andy Ruiz, Razvan Cojanu and Fury.

"In the heavyweights we want to see heavyweights knock heavyweights out. Joe has had three fights go the distance now in a row. I'd like to be knocking somebody out in the next fight.

"But just remember two of those three guys we have just gone 12 rounds with, one was 29-0 (Ruiz) and one was 20-0 (Fury). There' a reason for that. They were both equally awkward in different ways."

Parker's promoter David Higgins has had some interesting responses since the final bell rang in Manchester and Parker's hand was held up in victory, including a call from Eddie Hearn, the man behind WBA and IBF champion Anthony Joshua and Tony Bellew, two fighters on the Kiwi's radar.

With Joshua facing a mandatory against Bulgaria's Kubrat Pulev and Bellew doing a rematch with Haye, there aren't too many immediate options in the UK for December apart from Dillian Whyte who they don't appear to have too much interest in.

They will look elsewhere, biding their time with the hope of taking on the winner of Bellew v Haye and then, hopefully a unification bout with Joshua.

"Joshua remains the target but not until the English summer next year because we'd like to do it outdoors. We still believe his style suits Joe," Higgins said.

"We've got a busy couple of weeks now sorting through our options but it's great to be doing it on our terms. I don't think England is really an option for December. We will look elsewhere and there is no harm in expanding Joe's brand globally."

Higgins reiterated his post-fight feeling that Japan, where WBO No 9 Kyotaro Fujimoto is a star, has appeal as a worthy opponent with a profile in an exciting and potentially profitable market.

Higgins will also be talking extensively with his American co-promoter Bob Arum about what options could be in the United States. Arum has comeback heavyweight Bryant Jennings, who has already challenged for a world title, on his books.

Higgins didn't see any value in as rematch with Fury because of his style although he suggested "if they put $10m on the table I'd look at it".

He also didn't believe the Fury camp and their promoter Mick Hennessy had an justification for their conspiracy claims and complaints of the result that saw Parker handed a majority points win vai scorecards of 114-114, 118-110, 118-110. They are talking about a protest to the WBO

Higgins conceded he was "a promoter rather than a boxing expert" and while he felt the scores may have been a bit closer, he had no doubts that Parker had won comfortably. That had been backed up by talks with more knowledgable people than himself since the fight who all felt Parker had earned a deserved and dominant win

 

Photo by: REUTERS (Caption: Joseph Parker struggled for long periods to hunt down the elusive Hughie Fury and land the big blows in Manchester)