Joseph Parker says he just wants to get back in the ring “and give someone a beating.” The former WBO heavyweight champ, who last fought in February when he stopped Shawndell Winters in five rounds, is closing in on a fight with fellow Kiwi Junior Fa but after that, he wants a top-five opponent. Speaking on The AM Show, Parker said his team has offered Fa big money and it’s now up to Fa whether he takes the fight or not.
Parker and Fa split four amateur fights some years back but Parker, 27-2(21) says it will be a totally different story if they fight again today.
“We fought four times in the amateurs and are 2-2, but things have changed a lot,” Parker said. “The level of opposition I have fought is of a much higher caliber. Hopefully, we can make a deal. I think it will happen – we have given them what they’ve asked for. I am ready to go. I have been training twice a day. I just want to get back in the ring and give someone a beating.”
If Parker and Fa, 19-0(10) do fight, Parker will win unless there is a big upset. Speaking of upsets, Parker watched what Alexander Povetkin did to Dillian Whyte on Saturday night and he says he would like to fight either man. Parker of course dropped a close, somewhat controversial decision to Whyte in picking up just the second loss of his career.
“People say the quality of my last two opponents has been poor, but we have been trying to fight top-10 guys since my loss to Dillian Whyte – who I have been trying to get a rematch with,” Parker said. “It’s hard, because those top guys see me as high risk with low reward. I video-called Eddie [Hearn, after the Povetkin win] and asked him to give me Povetkin, or even Whyte. He told me to smash Junior Fa first and then he would look at one of those two for me.”
It does seem unlikely Parker will get either Povetkin or Whyte any time soon though. The two are talking about a rematch in November or December, with Whyte anxious to get revenge for the fifth round KO loss he suffered. As good as he is – wins over Andy Ruiz, Carlos Takam, Hughie Fury – Parker does look like a heavyweight name who is currently on the outside looking in.
Let’s see if Parker can indeed smash Fa in what would be a big fight in New Zealand.