After Joseph Parker’s unanimous decision win over Hughie Fury in Manchester this past September, many thought his stock plummeted, including promoter Eddie Hearn, who didn’t have a lot of good things to say about the WBO World heavyweight champion’s fight.
“Joseph Parker boxed, it was one of the worst heavyweight fights I’ve ever seen. So his stock has just plummeted but we still want his belt, but I’d like to see some Brits face him. Wilder is the fight,” he commented after the fight.
At the time, Hearn’s words somewhat rang true. Parker didn’t look like a world-class elite level champion against his mandatory challenger Fury, but he still got the job done and left Manchester with the belt
Parker was then linked to a possible fight against the winner of Tony Bellew and David Haye. It seemed like the Kiwi fighter was most definitely out of the heavyweight big picture for a while, especially since Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua started their war of words.
But the WBO, IBF, and IBO World heavyweight champion and Matchroom are now targeting Joseph Parker and they want him before Deontay Wilder.
“I’d say Parker and Wilder in that order because it will be a bigger fight with Wilder down the road than it is now,” said 
McCracken at the post-fight press conference after Joshua’s 20th professional stoppage win over the durable Carlos Takam.
Team Joshua is willing to take on the WBO World heavyweight champion, but the New Zealander’s have other plans for now. Luckily there’s a price for everything, but the offer that Hearn has made was not fair according to Dave Higgins, Parker’s promoter.
Boxingscene.com reports that Matchroom has offered an 80-20 split In Joshua’s favour which obviously has been declined by Team Parker.
“We’ve got various options and we are really close to one in particular, rather than Joshua. But we would fight Joshua next if…
“But we would fight Joshua next if the money is right. We’re not at all worried about Joshua as a competitive threat. It would be a close fight but we won’t shy away from it. It’s a fight that Joseph would take and I’m sure his trainer [Kevin Barry] isn’t worried about. But the money has to be right,” said Higgins according to boxingscene.com.
It goes without saying that Higgins and Team Parker are looking more of a 50-50 deal than 80-20.
“It’s disrespectful for the fact that Joseph has earned one of the credible heavyweight belts. So has Joshua, so it should be much closer to 50-50 than what was put on the table. No one in our camp was shaking in their boots,” stated Higgins.
Stay calm and ready 😊 #TeamParkerpic.twitter.com/qQD0JZ1Wx8
— Joseph Parker (@joeboxerparker) October 29, 2017
Earlier this month Parker’s people confirmed that he won’t be fighting again this year. The WBO champion will return to action in 2018 and possibly face Anthony Joshua in a big heavyweight title fight if the price is right.
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Joshua’s Coach Wants Joseph Parker First, Wilder Second