Joseph Parker is still hopeful of a unifying heavyweight title fight against Anthony Joshua despite talk of low offers and possibly not fighting Joshua at all. Last week Parker’s promoter David Higgins gave an ultimatum of sorts regarding Eddie Hearn’s offer.
Simply but; Team Parker wants a significantly better deal or else the fight is a no go.
.@anthonyfjoshua so what's happening? Fight a voluntary or pay me respectable 40% as fellow champion and unify? 👊🏼#NeverBeenDropped@EddieHearn @D_Higgins_Duco
— Joseph Parker (@joeboxerparker) November 17, 2017
When answering the question of is Joshua-Parker happening the promoter had this to say in an interview with ESPN:
“Our position at the moment is that it’s not. The offer was very low. We’ve got other options which are more money and we are in the process of looking at them. We’re getting higher offers to fight people in other parts of the world. We are in a point now where we think Joshua won’t be next and that we will have to ride it out until common sense prevails,” told Higgins.
However, things have apparently taken steps forward according to the WBO World champion himself.
“I’m very happy [that negotiations are progressing] and that is one of the reasons that I am being a bit loud on Twitter a little bit more if because if we weren’t talking on Twitter then they wouldn’t be negotiating with us. Negotiations were at a standstill, but after a few tweets we are back at it again. It is exciting to be negotiating, exciting to see if we can make it happen,” said Parker.
Ultimatums and threats aside, the fact of the matter is both sides want this fight to happen due to the aspect of unifying the belts.
“I’m hopeful it can happen in 2018. I have enjoyed what I have done in my career so far, but as a champion, I want to see who the real champion is, who the top [fighter is] and I think someone should unify the belts. It is one of the things we should make happen. I’m pretty keen to make it happen in 2018. That’s my goal,” stated Parker.
The Kiwi realises he might not get exactly the type of deal he’s after but knows the fight won’t happen until both sides are happy with the result.
“When we looked at it, voluntary [defence] was 20 percent, mandatory is 30 percent so it is only fair that when you unify it’s 40 percent. That is what I think is fair. I’m not saying that is what is going to happen. I think we will negotiate and see what everyone is happy with,” commented the WBO World heavyweight champion.
Parker has gone to the distance in his last three fights. He gained some criticism especially after his latest performance against Hughie Fury in September. Parker knows he hasn’t put up memorable performances and that surely plays a factor in the current negotiations but he is still a World heavyweight champion.
“I don’t think I’ve ever gotten the respect of being a world champion but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I feel as a world champion I have achieved something incredible in our country and very happy with what I have achieved but I don’t think I get the respect [it deserves].
“My last few performances weren’t the best and maybe that is the reason why people don’t see me as a threat or a challenge. But styles make fights. I like the style that he brings. I think my movement will cause him a bit of trouble and my punches. I’m still young in the sport but I have a really strong feel on what I can actually do in the ring and the power that I have.”
If and when Parker gets his first big unifying fight, he’s confident he can cause trouble with his power.
“I don’t think I would have problems knocking them [Joshua or Wilder] out. Joshua has been dropped within his professional, amateur, sparring [rounds] and Wilder has been shaken up a few times.”
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