By Jeff Aranow: The fight between WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker and his mandatory challenger Hughie Fury is expected to be done in the next few days. The purse bid is scheduled for February 1. This is a mismatch on paper unfortunately. Hughie, 22, hasn’t build-up the prior experience yet since turning pro in 2013.
The 24-year-old Parker has not only had better experience at the pro level, but he’s also older at 25, and more advanced. Parker has worked with Wladimir Klitschko in the past, and learned a lot from him. Hughie doesn’t have the same credentials or the same kind of power going for him.
This isn’t the fight that a lot of boxing fans wanted to see from Parker. They were hoping to see him fight Deontay Wilder, David Haye or Anthony Joshua. Hughie Fury is not high on the list from the fans, and you can’t blame them. Hughie is the little known cousin of former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, and not viewed as having the same kind of ability. Can Hughie develop into another Tyson Fury? Probably not. Fury is a lot more inventive with his style, and less inclined to hold and avoid contact.
“I’m going to make sure I take that title home with me,” said Hughie to skysports.com. “I’m in the mandatory position now with the WBO and Joseph Parker is my target. Don’t get me wrong Joseph Parker is a good fighter but I’ve had the experience over the years both in fights and in sparring and I am now ready for these types of fights.”
This is quite a step up for Hughie. He’s going from fighting Fred Kassi to facing Parker. Hughie was not at his best in the Kassi fight due to his skin condition. He’s not fought since then.
Parker vs. Fury will likely take place in New Zealand in front of a pro-Parker audience. Parker is hard to beat at home, as Andy Ruiz Jr. fought out last December. That fight could have gone either way. Ruiz Jr. looked like he did enough to get the ‘W’ in the eyes of many boxing fans. The fact that Parker won the fight showed you have hard he is to beat when he’s at home.
Hughie is going to need to do something to put him on an even playing field against Parker. He can’t punch like him, and it would be a mistake if he even tried. The power difference between the two is substantial. Parker hits much harder, and he’s going to be dangerous for Hughie every second of the fight.