Will Joe Joyce and Joseph Parker actually get it on?
Back on the night of April 23, when Tyson Fury was defending his WBC heavyweight title against Dillian Whyte, Parker and Joyce went face-to-face, with Frank Warren saying the fight was all but done, for a stadium event, in July. Fans got excited about the match-up, a solid one indeed. But it turns out the fight may not happen now.
Parker had to withdraw from the July date, this due to his trainer Andy Lee being unable to properly train him due to his wife being pregnant and expecting a child so close to the fight, and now Joyce will face TBA in a tune-up on July 2.
But Parker may move on to another fight – one with Dillian Whyte, this a rematch. Dave Higgins says Parker really wants the return with Whyte bad, although the fight with Joyce remains. The Parker-Joyce fight is still being targeted for September, but it seems Parker is not definite about it .
Has Parker got cold feet?
In the meantime, it will be interesting to see who “Juggernaut” Joyce faces as he tunes up for Parker. It doesn’t figure to be anyone too dangerous, not with such a big fight waiting for Joyce (who has not seen action since last July when he stopped Carlos Takam). But of course, if Joyce, 13-0(12) were to suffer an upset loss in his July warm-up, the Parker fight would very likely be off.
“Providing our man wins, then we’re on, we’ll do it, absolutely,” Warren said of Joyce going into a September date with the former WBO heavyweight champ. “It’s not out fault, we wanted the fight, Joe wanted the fight. Unfortunately it’s Joe Parker who’s not available.”
Hopefully Joyce-Parker will still happen. As much as a return clash between Whyte and Parker would be an interesting fight, Parker did agree to face Joyce (Higgins says the fight is not contracted). Joyce will no doubt be angry if Parker does move on.