New Zealand heavyweight Joseph Parker would jump at a chance to fight Ukrainian star Oleksandr Usyk, especially if his old WBO belt is on the line.
Usyk, in just his second fight at heavyweight, survived a scare or two to gain a unanimous points win over rugged Brit Derek Chisora last weekend to stay in the mandatory position for the belt owned by Anthony Joshua.
With Joshua set to defend his belts against Kubrat Pulev in December and then eyeing a massive two-fight deal against Tyson Fury next year, there’s a chance he might avoid Usyk’s mandatory challenge and vacate that belt.
Parker, at No 3 in the WBO rankings, wants to improve his claims with a win against fellow Kiwi Junior Fa in Auckland on December 12.
Do the business there and it would be a matter of if he can leap Britain’s Daniel Dubois in the rankings to get the right to fight the fast-handed Usyk.
At worst, there are suggestions that Parker and Dubois could fight an eliminator for that honour.
Parker is certainly up for the Usyk challenge as he looks to re-engage with the elite division in 2021 after a year blighted by Covid-19 restrictions.
“One hundred per cent, we’d take the fight [with Usyk for WBO belt],” Parker’s manager David Higgins told Sky Sports in the UK.
“In fact, I think Joseph’s claim for that opportunity would stack up against anyone else in that top 10.
“We would take the fight. You could look at doing it in the UK obviously, or New Zealand potentially, if it got a bit of government support.
“It all depends on that mandatory, and whether Joshua vacates or not. We’ll keep winning and take the opportunity when it comes.”
Usyk has had mixed reviews for his two efforts at heavyweight. He has shown his trademark movement and technical skills, though many wonder whether he has the power to knock over the big men of the division.
“Joseph believes Usyk to be a class act. He is really slick, but it’s just whether he has the power at heavyweight. He’s certainly got the skills. There’s a lot of respect there,” Higgins told Sky Sports.
Dubois snuck past Parker on the WBO rankings after beating unheralded Dutch heavyweight Ricardo Snijders last August.
“We were surprised to see Dubois go above Joe in the rankings,” Higgins said as politics came into play with Dubois’ manager Frank Warren well-connected at the WBO.
“Joe was at two and then Dubois went to two, and Joe is three now. But that’s probably based on busyness. Dubois’ resume doesn’t have any good names in it. That being said, Dubois has got huge potential and that will be another fight we’ll look at in the future as well.
