An official press conference has been set up for tomorrow in New Zealand, to officially announce WBO heavyweight champ Joseph Parker’s next move/fight. As fans know, the undefeated Parker is in need of a new challenger for May 6 due to original foe Hughie Fury pulling out with an injury.
A short-list of available last-minute opposition was in the possession of Duco Events, Parker’s promoter, and – according to Dan Rafael of ESPN.com – a decision has been reached. According to “a source with knowledge of the deal” who spoke with ESPN today, Romania’s Razvan Cojanu, 16-2(9) will be the fighter who lands the short-notice title shot.
It’s not 100 percent yet, and we will only know for sure after the scheduled presser, but if it is Cojanu, fans are not exactly going to be thrilled. KO’d inside a couple of rounds by Donovon Dennis in his biggest, most high-profile fight to date, the 30 year old who is based in California and works with the great James Toney’s long-time manager John Arthur, will be a huge underdog if he does face Parker.
Still, with so little time to use in finding a sub, nobody can be too hard on Duco, or on Parker, or on Cojanu; who is (if he indeed gets the fight) doing his part to save the show. And Cojanu is ranked, NO.14 by the WBO, and he has at least been reasonably active, winning his last three fights (albeit against so-so, limited opposition.) There was talk of Dominic Breazeale getting the late-replacement call, but it now seems as though Cojanu is the frontrunner to become Parker’s first WBO title challenger.
Unless ESPN.com’s source turns out to be unreliable, that is.
Would Parker have been better off cancelling his May 6 fight and waiting for a big and meaningful fight later on in the year (WBC king Deontay Wilder called Parker out, telling the New Zealand warrior to do just that, and face him in July) or is he entitled to not waste all the hard work he has put in in training for his maiden defence?
Parker, though, might have himself a very short night’s work if he does get in there with the limited, 6’7” Romanian trier.