By Tim Royner: Eddie Hearn wants to put Joseph Parker in with Andy Ruiz Jr. or Dillian Whyte in rematches soon when boxing starts back up. Parker (27-2, 21 KOs) would like to fight both of them again. He lost to Whyte by a 12 round decision in 2018 in London, and he defeated Ruiz Jr. by close 12 round majority decision in 2016.
Former WBO heavyweight champion Parker, 28, has a three-fight winning streak, and he wants to get in position to challenge a title against IBF/WBA/WBO champ Anthony Joshua or WBC champion Tyson Fury. If Parker can beat Whyte or Ruiz Jr., that would put him in a great position to fight for a title.
On Friday, Hearn mentioned these fighters that he would like to match Parker against:
- Junior Fa
- Dereck Chisora
- Alexander Povetkin
- Dillian Whyte
- Andy Ruiz Jr.
Parker has done a great job winning his last three fights, but he needs a win over a big name like Ruiz Jr. or Whyte to get him in a great position to challenge for a title. Hearn is now promoting Parker, but he’s not put him in against the type of fighters that boxing fans had hoped he would when he signed him.
2021 could be a big year for Parker
“We want that big fight now. It’s an absolute must that your next fight is a big fight,” said Hearn on his Instagram in talking to Joseph Parker. “For me, I’d like to see you and Dereck Chisora. He was going to fight Usyk on May 23, but that’s now been postponed.
“Who do you have your eye on in the division now? When we talk about the Junior Fa fight for New Zealand, for us to come over there. I know we’ve been talking about Matchroom and New Zealand. I think that’s an interesting fight for New Zealand, but for me, I’d like to move you forward for a heavyweight shot.
“When you look at the division right now, I love the fight between you and Luis Ortiz, and I love the rematch with Dillian Whyte. I like the Dillian Whyte rematch. And I even like the Andy Ruiz rematch, to be honest with you,” said Hearn.
If Hearn can put Parker in with any of those guys that would help him at least prove that he deserves another shot. Parker’s last three fights have been against these lower-level fighters:
- Shawndell Terell Winters
- Alex Leapai
- Alexander Flores
Hearn has got to step Parker up against world-class competition because he’s wasting time with the guys he’s being matched up with. Hearn is doing an excellent job of putting Whyte in with good opposition, but he’s not doing the same with Parker. He has nothing to show for the last two years of his career other than his fights with Winters and Leapai.
Big fights available for Parker
“You’ve got Hrgovic making moves, you’ve got Michael Hunter, and you and Alexander Povetkin is a great fight as well. I think when we return to action, every sport is going to be trying to attract attention and the space.
“So when we come back if we don’t start making significant fights and the ones that fans want to see. For me, there’s going to be so much congestion for the fighters that want to get out.
“The ones that are ready to step up in a big fight, they’re the ones that are going to be ready to fight ASAP. The heavyweight division is on fire. I would really like to see you and Ruiz again. And I know you beat him the first time out. I think Andy Ruiz is going to be in a lot of interesting fights,” said Hearn.
“And I think so too with that win over Joshua and then losing it again, but hopefully he stays in shape, and those fights were lifechanging for him,” said Parker about Ruiz. “I still think he’ll give a lot to the sport. I’ll sit down with Kevin and David and you. If it makes sense for us [Ruiz] to fight, then we’ll fight anyone,” said Parker.
It will be a shame if Hearn isn’t able to put Parker in with at least one quality heavyweight in 2020 or 2021. Hearn has a lot of excellent fighters in his stable that he could, in theory, be matching against Parker. If Hearn can’t get Whyte, Ruiz, or Chisora to fight Parker, then he should put him in with Filip Hrgovic or Michael Hunter. Those would be good opponents for Parker.
Parker picks Whyte, Usyk, and Fury to win next fights
“We’ll talk about the heavyweight landscape,” said Hearn. “A couple of fights that are due to take place. I just want to get your opinion on them. Whyte vs. Povetkin. Do you see Dillian Whyte coming through that fight? ”
“Yeah, I see Dillian coming through,” said Parker in picking Whyte to beat Povetkin. “I think Povetkin has been around for a while, but I think he’s as strong as hell.
“I think the first fight for him was a good welcoming into the heavyweight division. But I seem him with the skills that he’s got, the variety, and he’s a very technical fighter, I think he’ll beat Chisora,” said Parker in picking Oleksandr Usyk to defeat Dereck Chisora.
“That’s a good fight,” Parker said of Anthony Joshua vs. Kubrat Pulev. “I think Joshua will come out on top. He’s always improving as a champion. And I can see Fury dominating, yeah.
“I think he won the first fight [against Deontay Wilder], and in the second one, he destroyed him. I think in the third fight, it’ll be the same result,” said Parker in picking Tyson Fury to defeat Wilder in their trilogy match.
Parker is going with the same picks in choosing Fury to beat Wilder, Usyk to defeat Chisora and Joshua to dominate Kubrat Pulev. Those fights where the A-side guy has a significant advantage in terms of talent. If Parker picked Chisora, Pulev, and Wilder to win, then that would be a different story. You can argue that he was going through his thoughts.
