WBO heavyweight fight

Fury's trainer and father Peter has said in an interview with BoxNation that he rates 25-year-old Parker extremely highly and that while Hughie, 22, has improved greatly since recovering from a skin condition, he will have to be at his best to win.

The fight, slated for April 1 after Parker's promoters Duco Events won the purse bid against Fury's promoter Frank Warren, will probably be held at Auckland's Vector Arena, but Singapore and even Manchester remain options.

A Duco spokesman said there was unlikely to be an announcement this week.

RNZ reports Andy Ruiz has an unbeaten run over 21 fights, with 18 knockouts. The New Zealand boxer Joseph Parker will fight Mexican Andy Ruiz for the WBO world heavyweight title in Auckland in December.

The WBO title was vacated by Briton Tyson Fury earlier this month after revelations he was suffering from depression and drug addiction.

WBO gave the order for Parker and Ruiz to fight during its convention in San Juan, in Puerto Rico.

The bout is likely to be on 10 December.