With Joseph Parker “Doubtful” Oleksandr Usyk Will Face Him, The New Zealand Warrior Says He’s Treating The Fabio Wardley Fight Like “My Championship Of The World Fight”
Current WBO interim heavyweight champ Joseph Parker wants, more than anything, a shot at unified, four-belt heavyweight ruler Oleksandr Usyk. And Parker, we know, has earned his shot (wins over Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang in a final eliminator……). But right now, with Team-Parker feeling “doubtful” that Usyk will agree to defend against the New Zealander – manager David Higgins told Sky Sports in an interview yesterday that his feeling is Usyk isn’t interested, for whatever reason, in the fight – Parker will risk his interim belt and his lofty ranking against Fabio Wardley.
Wardley, 19-0-1(18) and the holder of an interim heavyweight belt himself, the unbeaten Brit being the current WBA interim champion, presents another risky fight for Parker. But the 33 year old has again shown us that he will pretty much fight anyone and that he is not a fighting man to sit around and be idle. Now, ahead of the October 25th fight with Wardley, Parker says he is treating it “like my championship of the world fight.”
Parker’s Mindset Ahead of London Showdown
As far as Usyk is concerned, we will have to wait and see what he does next; and it does seem doubtful that Usyk would be looking to duck Parker, or any fighter for that matter. But can Parker, 36-3(24) keep his good run going by taking Wardley’s unbeaten record when they rumble in London?
“I don’t see myself as the favourite,” Parker said at yesterday’s head-to-head with Wardley. “I’m treating this as my championship of the world fight. That’s how you should treat every fight. I’m taking this guy very seriously and I’ve been building my way back in New Zealand and now I’m in Ireland, zoning in on what I have to do to prepare for what he brings.”
A Little Dig at Usyk, but Respect Remains
And as far as Usyk goes? Parker, understandably, couldn’t help having a little dig at the champion who is supposedly (and may well be) injured; thus the extension on the Parker fight that was granted him.
“He looked injured when he was dancing (laughs)……What’s the injury?” Parker said, referring to the recent video of Usyk busting some moves on the dance floor, the video going viral. “Who knows. He deserves times off and when he does come back hopefully we can get it on down the line.”
Classy as always. Now, can Parker put on another class performance in the ring and deal with Wardley?
